The situation of physicians in acute hospitals during the second wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An online survey

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has an impact on the wellbeing of health care workers. The influence of a work-related sense of coherence as well as perceived organizational support on the level of burnout and the intention to leave the job is largely unknown, especially for physicians in German hospitals. Method: In December 2020 and January 2021, physicians of 81 hospitals in Hessian (Germany) participated in an online survey using the BAT (Burnout Assessment Tool), Work-SoC (Work-related Sense of Coherence), the POS-s (Perceived Organizational SUPPORT - short version) and literature-based items based. Results: Of 181 physicians, 34 % showed a moderate or high burnout level, 21 % would leave the job after the pandemic. The higher the work-SoC (b = -0.560; p < 0.001) and the higher the POS-s (b = -0.125; p < 0.05), the lower the burnout level. Not being able to care sufficiently for their patients has a negative impact on the sense of coherence. 46.4 % reported that they did not feel sufficiently prepared by their employer during the pandemic. They wished to have support in the form of the mindfulness and resilience trainings (45 %), emergency childcare (41 %) and a crisis counselor in their team (32 %). Conclusion: Regardless of the pandemic, health-promoting work conditions have to be developed that facilitate coherent work and prevent ``moral injuries" or enable physicians to deal with them.