Factors Affecting Burnout of Staff in Emergency Medical Service (Focusing on 119 rescuers in Busan and Gyeongnam)

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the degree of burnout of 119 rescuers, to determine factors influencing their burnout, and to provide basic data for development of intervention programs to prevent the burnout. Methods: Subjects of this study were all 119 rescuers working at fire stations located in Busan and Gyeongnam. The data were collected from May 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS/WIN 17.0. Results: When the difference in the degree of burnout by general characteristics was investigated, the means of burnout were significantly different depending on age, period of service, position, license, annual salary, desire to work continuously and types of working hours. Job stress, job satisfaction, social support, self efficacy and self esteem showed a statistically significant correlation with burnout. The degree of burnout became higher with more job stress and lower job satisfaction, social support, self efficacy and self esteem. As a significant factor affecting the degree of burnout of 119 rescuers, job stress showed 47.3% of explanatory power. The explanatory power of all of job stress, job satisfaction, self efficacy, types of working hours, annual salary and license was 62% and the power of job stress was the highest. Conclusion: From these results, job stress, job satisfaction and self-efficacy were found to be factors affecting the burnout of 119 rescuers. Therefore, intervention programs to reduce job stress and to improve job satisfaction, social support, self efficacy and self esteem should be developed to lower the degree of burnout of 119 rescuers. In addition, further researches to analyze works of 119 rescuers and legal and institutional strategies to improve their treatment are necessary and supplementary training in various practices by different circumstances based on standardized protocols should be conducted.