Resilience Among Professional Health Workers in Emergency Services

INTRODUCTION: Although it seems logical to assume that working in an emergency service implies having a great capacity to face extreme situations, resilience in health care workers has been shown to be related not only to individual personality characteristics but also with external factors. The objective of this study was to determine the resilience of professional health workers in emergency services and its relationships with sociodemographic and working conditions. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included emergency physicians, nurses, and nursing assistants. Sociodemographic variables and the Resilience Scale–25 were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 320 professionals participated. Their mean age was 43.5 years (SD 8.9), and 81.87% were women. The mean resilience score was 133.52 (SD 7.22), which corresponds to moderately low to moderate levels. An association was found between the highest resilience scores and being a physician (χ(2) 8.84; P = 0.01) and a higher capacity if working in emergency mobile units (χ(2) 6.29; P = 0.04). Working the day shift and being a nurse (beta = –5.71; P = 0.02) were associated with lower resilience scores. Age (odds ratio 1.095; P = 0.02; 95% confidence interval 1.015, 1.184), and not having a partner decreased resilience (being divorced odds ratio 5.17; P = 0.01; 95% confidence interval 1.503, 18.235 and being single odds ratio 3.371; P = 0.01; 95% confidence interval 1.259, 9.257). However, more work experience increased the resilience levels (odds ratio 0.906; P = 0.02; 95% confidence interval 0.833, 0.983). DISCUSSION: Resilience in professional health workers was related to personal and working conditions. The scores of emergency staff were low and should be improved with specific strategies.