Practitioner Burnout and Productivity Levels in Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living Facilities, Part 1: A Descriptive Quantitative Account

Abstract

Importance: Understanding burnout among practitioners in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and assisted living facilities (ALFs) while considering contextual factors may lead to practices that enhance therapist and patient satisfaction as well as quality of care.

Objective: To examine productivity standards and burnout in the context of setting and role, as reported by therapy practitioners in geriatric settings, and to explore relationships between productivity standards and perceived ethical pressures.

Design: Cross-sectional online survey with descriptive data.

Participants: Practitioners (N = 366) included occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and occupational and physical therapy assistants working in SNFs and ALFs in the United States. A survey integrating the Maslach Burnout Inventory: Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSS) and questions addressing demographics and contextual factors was distributed via social media.

Results: Of 366 practitioners, 20.5% were burned out, exhibiting extreme scores for Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DP), and Personal Accomplishment (PA) on the MBI-HSS. Significant relationships between productivity requirements and EE, DP, and PA, after accounting for covariates, were evident. Significant relationships between productivity standards and five of the six ethically questionable behaviors existed. Role affected productivity requirements, specifically between therapists and assistants, whereas setting did not.

Conclusions and relevance: Productivity standards and related pressures are associated with concerning aspects of burnout among practitioners working in geriatric settings. Advocating for change in defining productivity and incorporating positive support in the work environment may assist in reducing burnout and turnover rates and improve patient satisfaction and care. Plain-Language Summary: This research highlights the prevalence of burnout and perceived pressures related to productivity requirements among occupational therapy practitioners working in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.