1.Prevalence of impostor phenomenon and burnout in a Singapore health system.
Jun Hui TAN ; Ke Xin EH ; Zheng Jye LING
Singapore medical journal 2025;66(10):540-544
INTRODUCTION:
Impostor phenomenon (IP) is a set of feelings encountered by individuals of being incompetent, despite experiencing successes. IP affects not only individuals on a personal level, but also organisations where the leadership diversity decreases due to employees' self-doubt. We aim to investigate the prevalence of IP and burnout among employees in the National University Health System (NUHS).
METHODS:
All permanently employed full-time NUHS employees aged 21 years and above were invited to participate in this self-administered cross-sectional study between April 2021 and August 2021. Mass emails with the embedded study link were sent every 2-3 weeks to the employees' corporate email accounts.
RESULTS:
In our study, 61% of our study respondents reported having IP experiences and 97% reported having burnout. The associations of IP with ethnicity and age group were significant. Post hoc tests, however, showed that the association was statistically significant only in the 21-29 years age group.
CONCLUSION
We found that there was no statistical significance between gender and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) profile types. However, we found that IP was significantly associated with individuals in the 21-29 years age group. This could be because younger individuals who just entered workforce may feel uncomfortable with their newfound independence and responsibility. Workplace support, such as workshops, and emotional support were found to be useful in helping individuals cope with IP. Future studies could be done post coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among healthcare workers to have a larger sample size to determine true IP and burnout prevalence.
Humans
;
Singapore/epidemiology*
;
Adult
;
Male
;
Female
;
Burnout, Professional/psychology*
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Prevalence
;
Middle Aged
;
Young Adult
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
;
COVID-19/epidemiology*
;
Workplace/psychology*
2.In my time: A qualitative exploration of the junior doctor experience in Singapore over the years.
Caitlin Alsandria O'HARA ; Nur Haidah Ahmad KAMAL ; En Ci Isaac ONG ; De Wei Isaac CHUNG ; Siew Ngan Faith LIM ; Malcolm Ravindran MAHADEVAN
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2025;54(9):542-560
INTRODUCTION:
Despite efforts to improve junior doctors' working conditions, burnout, distress and disillusionment persist, with implications for patient outcomes. This qualitative study analysed factors shaping the lived experiences of junior doctors in Singapore and their changes over time, thereby seeking to inform improvements to working conditions.
METHOD:
Thirty purposively sampled respondents who were junior doctors in Singapore between 1975 and 2022 were interviewed. Respondents were grouped into 3 cohorts: (1) junior, (2) middle and (3) senior. Employing the framework method of qualitative analysis, open coding was performed with reference to the individual, interpersonal, institutional, community and policy levels of the socioecological model (SEM). Four themes emerged: (1) inherent challenges of junior doctorship, (2) exacerbating factors, (3) alleviating factors and (4) responses of junior doctors to their experiences. Codes were reconstructed into a modified SEM, demonstrating trickle-down effects of interpersonal or structural forces on the individual doctor and pertinent factors evolving with time.
RESULTS:
Across cohorts, respondents echoed mental and physical challenges. While senior cohort doctors recounted higher patient-to-doctor ratios and longer working hours, junior cohort doctors cited new difficulties. These include a hostile medicolegal landscape, patients' increasingly complex needs and expectations, and higher administrative loads. Amid these difficulties, alleviating factors included good workplace relationships alongside institutional interventions. Doctors responded differently to their challenges. Some externalised difficulties through expression and advocacy; others internalised them, whether into fulfilment or distress.
CONCLUSION
While some facets of junior doctorship have improved with time, new challenges that warrant consideration are emerging. Junior doctors should be centred, listened to and empowered in shaping improvements to working conditions.
Singapore
;
Humans
;
Qualitative Research
;
Medical Staff, Hospital/psychology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Adult
;
Burnout, Professional/psychology*
;
Workload/psychology*
;
Attitude of Health Personnel
;
Interviews as Topic
;
Job Satisfaction
3.Prevalence of burnout among healthcare professionals in Singapore.
Kok Hian TAN ; Boon Leng LIM ; Zann FOO ; Joo Ying TANG ; Mabel SIM ; Phong Teck LEE ; Kok Yong FONG
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2022;51(7):409-416
INTRODUCTION:
The aim was to study the prevalence of burnout among various groups of healthcare professionals in Singapore.
METHODS:
An anonymous online survey questionnaire was conducted using the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services to measure three categories of burnout: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA) from July 2019 to January 2020 in a healthcare cluster in Singapore.
RESULTS:
The survey was completed by 6,048 healthcare professionals out of a target survey population of 15,000 (response rate 40.3%). The study revealed 37.8% of respondents had high EE score ≥27, 29.7% of respondents had high DP score ≥10, and 55.3% of respondents had low PA score ≤33. Respondents with either high EE score or high DP score constituted 43.9% (n=2,654). The Allied Health group had the highest mean EE score, which was significantly higher than those of Medical, Nursing and Non-clinical groups (P<0.05). The Medical group had the highest mean DP score and this was significantly higher than the Nursing, Allied Health and Non-clinical groups (P<0.05). The Non-clinical group had the lowest PA, which was significantly lower than the Medical, Nursing and Allied Health groups (P<0.005).
CONCLUSION
There was high prevalence of burnout among healthcare professionals in Singapore, especially the allied health professionals. There were significant differences in the 3 categories of burnout (EE, DP and PA) among the different groups of healthcare professionals. There is an urgent need to address the high burnout rate.
Burnout, Professional/psychology*
;
Delivery of Health Care
;
Health Personnel/psychology*
;
Humans
;
Prevalence
;
Singapore/epidemiology*
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
5.Emotional Labor and Burnout: A Review of the Literature.
Da Yee JEUNG ; Changsoo KIM ; Sei Jin CHANG
Yonsei Medical Journal 2018;59(2):187-193
This literature review was conducted to investigate the association between emotional labor and burnout and to explore the role of personality in this relationship. The results of this review indicate that emotional labor is a job stressor that leads to burnout. Further examination of personality traits, such as self-efficacy and type A behavior pattern, is needed to understand the relationships between emotional labor and health outcomes, such as burnout, psychological distress, and depression. The results also emphasized the importance of stress management programs to reduce the adverse outcomes of emotional labor, as well as coping repertories to strengthen the personal potential suitable to organizational goals. Moreover, enhancing employees' capacities and competence and encouraging a positive personality through behavior modification are also necessary.
Adaptation, Psychological
;
Adult
;
*Burnout, Professional
;
Depression/psychology
;
*Emotions
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Male
;
*Occupational Stress
;
*Personality
;
Stress, Psychological/psychology
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
6.The Relation Among Moral Distress, Physical Symptoms and Burnout of Hospital Nurses.
Youngran CHAE ; SuJeong YU ; Eun Ja LEE ; Eun Ha PARK
Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education 2017;23(4):430-440
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between moral distress, physical symptoms, and burnout among clinical nurses. METHODS: Data were collected by self-report questionnaires targeting 140 nurses from a university hospital in Chungju. The data were analyzed by, Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: Moral distress due to the general characteristics of the participants showed a statistically significant difference at the current working department (χ2=36.01, p<.001). Hospital nurses' moral distress had a statistically significant correlation with burnout (r=.358, p<.001) and physical symptoms (r=.440, p<.001). Factors influencing hospital nurses' burnout, pro were physical symptoms, moral distress, and marital status, accounting for 36% of the variance. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that moral distress and physical symptoms influence burnout among hospital nurses. Therefore, interventions for burnout among hospital nurses should include an empowerment program to reduce physical symptoms and moral distress.
Burnout, Professional
;
Chungcheongbuk-do
;
Marital Status
;
Power (Psychology)
7.A Multicenter Study Investigating Empathy and Burnout Characteristics in Medical Residents with Various Specialties.
Chanmin PARK ; Yeon Jung LEE ; Minha HONG ; Chul Ho JUNG ; Yeni SYNN ; Young Sook KWACK ; Jae Sung RYU ; Tae Won PARK ; Seong Ae LEE ; Geon Ho BAHN
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2016;31(4):590-597
We assessed empathy in medical residents, including factors modifying empathy and the relationship between empathy and burnout. Participants (n = 317 residents, response rate = 42%) from 4 university hospitals completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (Health Professional version, Korean edition), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Participants were classified by medical specialty: “people-oriented specialty” (POS group) or “technology-oriented specialty” (TOS group), with more women in the POS than in the TOS group, χ2 = 14.12, P < 0.001. Being female, married, and having children were factors related to higher empathy (gender, t = -2.129, P = 0.034; marriage, t = -2.078, P = 0.038; children, t = 2.86, P = 0.005). Within specialty group, POS residents showed higher empathy scores in the fourth as compared to the first year, F = 3.166, P = 0.026. Comparing POS and TOS groups by year, fourth year POS residents had significantly higher scores than did fourth year TOS residents, t = 3.349, P = 0.002. There were negative correlations between empathy scores and 2 MBI subscales, emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP). Additionally, first year POS residents had higher DP scores than did first year TOS residents, t = 2.183, P = 0.031. We suggest that factors important for empathy are type of medical specialty, marriage, siblings, and children. Burnout state may be related to decreasing empathy.
Adult
;
*Burnout, Professional
;
Child
;
Child Rearing
;
Demography
;
Depersonalization
;
*Empathy
;
Female
;
Hospitals, University
;
Humans
;
Internship and Residency
;
Male
;
Marriage
;
Physicians/*psychology
;
Sex Factors
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
8.Stress and Burnout among Physicians: Prevalence and Risk Factors in a Singaporean Internal Medicine Programme.
Kay Choong SEE ; Tow Keang LIM ; Ee Heok KUA ; Jason PHUA ; Gerald Sw CHUA ; Khek Yu HO
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2016;45(10):471-474
Adult
;
Age Factors
;
Burnout, Professional
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Exercise
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Internal Medicine
;
education
;
Internship and Residency
;
Interprofessional Relations
;
Male
;
Physicians
;
psychology
;
statistics & numerical data
;
Prevalence
;
Risk Factors
;
Singapore
;
epidemiology
;
Stress, Psychological
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
9.Factors Influencing Emergency Nurses' Burnout During an Outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus in Korea.
Asian Nursing Research 2016;10(4):295-299
PURPOSE: Emergency department (ED) nurses suffer from persistent stress after experiencing the traumatic event of exposure to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which can subsequently lead to burnout. This study aimed to assess ED nurses' burnout level during an outbreak of MERS-CoV and to identify influencing factors in order to provide basic information for lowering and preventing the level of burnout. METHODS: Study participants were ED nurses working in eight hospitals designated for treating MERS-CoV-infected patients in Korea. We performed multiple regression analysis to explore the factors influencing burnout. RESULTS: The ED nurses' burnout was affected by job stress (β = 0.59, p < .001), poor hospital resources for the treatment of MERS-CoV (β = −0.19, p < .001) and poor support from family and friends (β = −0.14, p < .05). These three variables explained 47.3% of the variance in burnout. CONCLUSIONS: ED nurses taking care of MERS-CoV-infected patients should be aware that burnout is higher for nurses in their divisions than nurses in other hospital departments and that job stress is the biggest influential factor of burnout. To be ready for the outbreak of emerging contagious diseases such as MERS-CoV, efforts and preparations should be made to reduce burnout. Job stress should be managed and resolved. Working conditions for mitigating job stress and systematic stress management programs should be provided, and hospital resources for the treatment of MERS-CoV need to be reinforced. Moreover, promoting support from family and friends is required.
Adult
;
Burnout, Professional/*epidemiology/etiology
;
Coronavirus Infections/*epidemiology/psychology
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Disease Outbreaks
;
Emergency Nursing/*statistics & numerical data
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Job Satisfaction
;
Male
;
Middle Aged
;
*Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus
;
Nurses/*psychology
;
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
;
Young Adult
10.Workplace Violence and Job Outcomes of Newly Licensed Nurses.
Hyoung Eun CHANG ; Sung Hyun CHO
Asian Nursing Research 2016;10(4):271-276
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of workplace violence toward newly licensed nurses and the relationship between workplace violence and job outcomes. METHODS: An online survey was conducted of newly licensed registered nurses who had obtained their license in 2012 or 2013 in South Korea and had been working for 5-12 months after first being employed. The sample consisted of 312 nurses working in hospitals or clinics. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II was used to measure violence and nurse job outcomes. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between violence and job outcomes. RESULTS: Verbal abuse was most prevalent (59.6%), followed by threats of violence (36.9%), physical violence (27.6%), bullying (25.6%), and sexual harassment (22.4%). Approximately three quarters of the nurses had experienced at least one type of violence. The main perpetrators were patients and nurse colleagues, although the distribution of perpetrators varied depending on the type of violence. Bullying had a significant relationship with all four job outcomes (job satisfaction, burnout, commitment to the workplace, and intent to leave), while verbal abuse was associated with all job outcomes except for intent to leave. Violence perpetrated by nurse colleagues had a significant relationship with all four job outcomes, while violence by physicians had a significant inverse relationship with job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Workplace violence is experienced by a high percentage of newly licensed nurses, and is associated with their job outcomes.
Bullying/statistics & numerical data
;
Burnout, Professional/epidemiology/psychology
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Job Satisfaction
;
Longitudinal Studies
;
Male
;
Nurses/psychology/*statistics & numerical data
;
Nursing Staff, Hospital/psychology/*statistics & numerical data
;
Prevalence
;
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
;
Sexual Harassment/psychology/statistics & numerical data
;
Workplace Violence/*statistics & numerical data
;
Young Adult

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail