How UK surgeons experience burnout and the link between burnout and patient care: A qualitative investigation

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Poor well-being affects the performance of all kinds of workers, including surgeons. This study aimed to answer two questions: (1) how does burnout affect surgeons personally, and what is their burnout experience like? (2) How does burnout affect the care that surgeons provide in the United Kingdom (UK)? METHOD: This study conducted thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 14 surgeons recruited from the UK National Health Service (NHS). RESULT: The study found three themes in surgeons’ experiences of burnout: first, burnout is common but frequently not recognised nor understood; second, burnout is a personal crisis; and third, burnout creates vulnerability at work. The study also revealed four themes related to burnout's effect on patient care: first, burnout reduces the quality of surgeon-patient relationships; second, burnout affects patient safety; third, burnout impairs staff relationships; and fourth, burnout makes surgeons less motivated to improve. CONCLUSION: Burnout is common but not well recognised in surgeons. Improving understanding and treatment of burnout could have benefits for both surgeons themselves and the care they provide to patients.