AUTHOR=Metzger Tai , Nguyen Nathan , Le Hillary , Havo Daisy , Ngo Katherine , Lee Sebastian , Nguyen Timmy , Nguyen Quynhanh , Tran Leyna , Tong Nathan , Le Collin , Dudovitz Rebecca 

TITLE=Does volunteering decrease burnout? Healthcare professional and student perspectives on burnout and volunteering

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1387494

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1387494

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Background: Burnout among healthcare providers is a significant crisis in our healthcare system, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to understand what motivates healthcare workers and students to volunteer in their community as well as examine how volunteering relates to burnout. These findings can help health organizations better meet the needs of healthcare workers, as well as provide insights for non-profits that rely on volunteer professionals. Methods: Healthcare providers (N = 8), graduate healthcare students (N=10), and undergraduate students (N=14) who volunteered at community health fairs completed the OLBI burnout assessment and an individual semi-structured interview to characterize their attitudes toward volunteering and its relationship with burnout. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a phenomenological approach, comparing themes across levels of burnout among providers and students. Results: Participants described that feeling burnt out decreased one's likelihood to volunteer, but also that volunteering prevented burnout. The OLBI scores showed that 79.2% and 20.8% of students were low and moderately burnt out respectively, and 87.5% and 12.5% of health professionals were low and moderately burnt out respectively. Students volunteered for professional development while healthcare professionals cited a desire for a change in their day-to-day work as a reason to volunteer. Both students and health professionals often volunteered because they wanted to make a difference, it made them feel good, and/or they felt a responsibility to volunteer. COVID-19 had a wide range of effects on burnout and motivations to volunteer.