Burnout Across Healthcare Roles During COVID-19

Authors: Rafael José Zamora, Sabrina Badano, María Aufiero, Patricia Martinez, Agustina Marconi
Context: Healthcare workers at a medical centre in Argentina during the COVID-19 pandemic

What this study examined

This study examined burnout across different healthcare roles, including physicians, nurses, administrative staff, and technicians, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than focusing on one professional group, the authors examined how burnout was distributed across clinical and non-clinical roles within the same organisation.

Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which assesses three components:

• Emotional Exhaustion
• Depersonalisation
• Sense of Personal Accomplishment

The aim was to understand the extent of burnout, who was most affected, and which factors were associated with increased risk.

How the study was conducted

An online, cross-sectional survey was completed by 185 employees (out of 852) at a single medical centre in Argentina. Participants represented a range of roles, including doctors, nurses, technicians and administrative staff.

The analysis considered factors such as age, gender, job role, COVID-19 exposure and whether individuals held multiple jobs.

What the study found

Burnout indicators were common across the organisation:

• 42.7% reported high Emotional Exhaustion
• 32.9% reported high Depersonalisation
• 16.7% reported a low sense of Personal Accomplishment
• Over half (52.4%) reported at least one significant indicator of burnout

Certain groups were more affected than others:

• Women were more than twice as likely to meet criteria for burnout.
• Administrative staff had the highest risk, followed by doctors and nurses.
• Technicians reported the lowest burnout levels among the groups studied.

Interestingly, working in COVID-19 areas or holding multiple jobs was not significantly associated with higher burnout levels in this sample.

The overall prevalence of burnout was broadly in line with international figures from the pandemic period. However, the rates among administrative staff were notably higher than expected.

This challenges the assumption that burnout during COVID-19 was primarily a frontline clinical issue. It suggests that non-clinical staff were carrying a significant emotional and operational load, despite often being excluded from wellbeing initiatives and organisational support.

Women and younger staff also showed higher vulnerability to emotional strain, reinforcing the need to look beyond job titles when assessing risk.

Limitations to keep in mind

The data was collected at a single point in time, several months into the pandemic, which limits conclusions about how burnout evolved over time. The study also focused on outcomes rather than examining the specific organisational or systemic drivers of stress.

What this tells us about burnout in healthcare

Burnout was present across all roles, with particularly high rates among women, administrative workers, doctors and nurses. This reinforces the idea that burnout is not confined to those providing direct clinical care.

It also highlights how less visible organisational roles can carry substantial emotional and cognitive strain, without corresponding recognition or support.

The authors conclude that ongoing mental health monitoring across all healthcare roles is necessary, rather than focusing exclusively on clinical staff.

Personal reflection

This study highlights how narrowly burnout is often framed during periods of crisis. The data show that strain was not limited to frontline clinical roles and, in some cases, was more pronounced among administrative staff. This challenges the assumption that emotional load is solely determined by clinical exposure.

It also reflects something I see consistently in practice: burnout risk is shaped by sustained responsibility, limited control, and restricted recovery, rather than by job title. When organisational support is directed primarily at the most visible roles, other parts of the system continue carrying pressure without recognition or adjustment, allowing strain to accumulate in less visible ways.