Surreal illustration of a doctor transitioning from a stressful operating room environment to a calming natural landscape, symbolizing burnout recovery.

Burnout Among Anesthesia Providers: Are You at Risk?

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Reese Marlowe in Health & Wellness November 2026 • 4 min read.

"Discover the factors contributing to emotional exhaustion in anesthesia professionals and strategies to combat burnout."


Burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of personal accomplishment, is a significant concern in healthcare. It leads to decreased job satisfaction, mental health issues, and compromised patient care. Studies reveal that 30% to 65% of medical professionals experience burnout, making it crucial to understand and address this issue.

A recent study investigated burnout among anesthesia providers, including physicians, residents, and certified nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). The research aimed to identify burnout rates and contributing factors within a large academic anesthesiology department. By understanding the prevalence and causes of burnout, healthcare organizations can implement targeted interventions to support their staff.

This article delves into the findings of the study, exploring the rates of emotional exhaustion among different anesthesia provider types and discussing potential factors contributing to burnout. It also highlights strategies for healthcare leaders to identify and support those at risk, ultimately promoting both provider well-being and quality patient care.

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Measuring Burnout in Anesthesia

Burnout is commonly described through emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. A 2026 cross-sectional observational study in Türkiye examined decision fatigue and emotional exhaustion among actively practicing anesthesiologists in relation to clinical workload. A systematic review summarized by FairShare pooled 15 surveys and studies and reported burnout prevalence ranging from 25% to 70%, depending on the instrument and threshold, with emotional exhaustion the most elevated subscale.

Who's Feeling the Heat? Emotional Exhaustion Among Anesthesia Providers

Surreal illustration of a doctor transitioning from a stressful operating room environment to a calming natural landscape, symbolizing burnout recovery.

The study, utilizing the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), gathered data from 89 anesthesia providers: 39 staff anesthesiologists, 18 residents, and 32 CRNAs. The survey assessed emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment to determine burnout levels.

Residents reported the highest levels of emotional exhaustion compared to staff anesthesiologists and CRNAs. Specifically, 38.9% of residents experienced high emotional exhaustion, compared to 28.2% of staff anesthesiologists and 12.5% of CRNAs.

  • Workload and Schedule: Residents often face unpredictable schedules and longer hours compared to staff and CRNAs.
  • Lack of Control: The unpredictable nature of resident schedules and relief times may contribute to increased emotional exhaustion.
  • Experience: Residents may be more susceptible to emotional exhaustion due to their relative inexperience in handling high-pressure situations.
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Clinical Consequences

Reviews and comparative research report that burnout can affect healthcare providers’ clinical judgment, communication, and the quality of care they deliver. These concerns are especially relevant in anesthesia, where the literature review cited in the source material reports burnout among 50% of anesthesiologists. Emotional exhaustion is described as being overwhelmed by daily work, lacking emotional resources, and feeling emotionally drained, and is considered the most important dimension and usually the first stage of burnout.

Limits of Prevalence Estimates

Burnout prevalence is difficult to assess consistently because there is no generally accepted definition of the syndrome. Its multifactorial origin and the vagueness and subjectivity of diagnostic criteria make it difficult to obtain a clear and correct overview of prevalence in the general population. Reported rates should therefore be interpreted cautiously when studies use different definitions or assessment criteria.

Exhaustion and Disengagement

Anesthesia is described as a demanding occupation involving long working hours, sustained vigilance, unpredictable stressful situations, fear of litigation, competence pressures, and production pressure. A study of a large academic anesthesia department used the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory to compare two dimensions: exhaustion and disengagement. Its focus reflects a broader concern that exhaustion may be particularly sensitive for identifying burnout among clinicians, including anesthesia providers.

The study also found that increased workload correlated with higher emotional exhaustion rates. CRNAs, who typically worked 36-40 hours per week, reported lower exhaustion levels than staff (45-50 hours) and residents (55-60 hours).

Fighting Burnout: Strategies for a Healthier Anesthesia Team

The study underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing burnout among anesthesia providers, particularly residents. Healthcare leaders should prioritize strategies to mitigate burnout and support the well-being of their teams.

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Anesthesia at an Inflection Point

The anesthesia sector is described as being at an inflection point, with soaring demand, evolving technology, and growing outpatient volume creating new opportunities. At the same time, workforce shortages, reimbursement pressure, increasing complexity, and burnout threaten sustainability. The American Society of Anesthesiologists reported in 2023 that anesthesiologists were experiencing unprecedented workplace stress, based on a study assessing burnout levels since early 2020.

Implementing wellness-based interventions can effectively reduce physician burnout. These include exercise programs, mindfulness training, and efforts to improve work-life balance. Creating a supportive environment where providers feel valued and have access to resources can make a significant difference.

Some strategies include staggered shifts, predictable scheduling, and workload reduction. By understanding the factors that contribute to burnout, healthcare organizations can create a healthier and more sustainable work environment, ultimately improving both provider well-being and patient care.

What the exhaustion comparison can tell us

Residents’ higher emotional exhaustion identifies a difference between provider groups in this department, but it does not establish what caused that difference.[1]

Study at a glance
PopulationPhysicians, residents, and certified nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) in a large academic anesthesiology department[1]
Sample size89 survey respondents[1]
SettingA large academic anesthesiology department[1]
Duration4 weeks[1]
ComparisonResidents compared with staff anesthesiologists and CRNAs[1]
Main outcomePrevalence of burnout components[1]
Times cited20[1]

How this department's findings fit broader burnout estimates

A review of anesthesia-resident studies found reported burnout prevalence varied widely, with a median below the overall median reported in a review of practicing anesthesia providers.[2] [3]

Later work citing this study describes burnout as potentially affecting clinical judgment, communication, and care quality; those concerns are broader than the study’s reported group comparison.[1] [4] [5]

Other cited research identifies long hours, workplace relationships, examinations, and adverse clinical events as factors associated with burnout among residents, but these do not establish causes in this department.[1] [2]

Terms used in the study

Emotional exhaustion
A burnout component assessed in the study.[1]

Sources

  1. Emotional exhaustion among anesthesia providers at a tertiary care center assessed using the MBI burnout survey (Informa UK Limited, 2018)
  2. Burnout in anaesthesiology residents: A systematic review of its prevalence and stressors. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  3. Prevalence of burnout among practising anaesthesia providers: a systematic review. (associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
  4. Perception of Virtual Education Learning among Dental Residents and Faculty during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study (2024)
  5. Comparison of the burnout among medical residents before and during the pandemic (2022)

About this Article -

Written with AI assistance from published research, and reviewed by the Mystum team. See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1080/13548506.2018.1546019, Alternate LINK

Title: Emotional Exhaustion Among Anesthesia Providers At A Tertiary Care Center Assessed Using The Mbi Burnout Survey

Subject: Psychiatry and Mental health

Journal: Psychology, Health & Medicine

Publisher: Informa UK Limited

Authors: Abha Shah, Matthew Wyatt, Bethany Gourneau, Grace Shih, Martin De Ruyter

Published: 2018-11-19

Everything You Need To Know

1

What is burnout and why is it important in the context of anesthesia providers?

Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of personal accomplishment. In the context of anesthesia providers, it's a significant concern due to its potential impact on job satisfaction, mental health, and patient care. The study specifically focused on emotional exhaustion as a key indicator of burnout among staff anesthesiologists, residents, and certified nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). High levels of emotional exhaustion can lead to decreased performance and negatively affect the quality of care delivered by the anesthesia providers.

2

What is emotional exhaustion and how does it relate to the study's findings?

Emotional exhaustion is a key component of burnout and was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). The study found residents reported the highest levels of emotional exhaustion compared to staff anesthesiologists and CRNAs. This means a higher percentage of residents reported feeling emotionally drained and depleted. Contributing factors to emotional exhaustion include workload and schedule, lack of control, and experience. Identifying these factors allows healthcare organizations to implement targeted interventions to support their staff and improve patient care.

3

What did the study reveal about burnout rates among different types of anesthesia providers?

The study investigated the prevalence of burnout among different anesthesia provider types: staff anesthesiologists, residents, and certified nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). The study revealed a significant difference in emotional exhaustion levels. Residents reported the highest rates of emotional exhaustion compared to staff anesthesiologists and CRNAs, with 38.9% of residents experiencing high emotional exhaustion. The study also found that CRNAs, who typically worked 36-40 hours per week, reported lower exhaustion levels than staff (45-50 hours) and residents (55-60 hours). This suggests that workload is a major contributing factor to burnout.

4

What factors contribute to emotional exhaustion among anesthesia providers?

Several factors were identified as potential contributors to emotional exhaustion among anesthesia providers. Increased workload, particularly for residents who often work longer hours and have unpredictable schedules, was found to correlate with higher emotional exhaustion rates. Lack of control over schedules and relief times, particularly for residents, also contributed to exhaustion. Additionally, the relative inexperience of residents in handling high-pressure situations may make them more susceptible to emotional exhaustion. Healthcare leaders can address these factors through strategies such as workload management, improved scheduling, and providing support and training.

5

How can healthcare leaders address burnout among anesthesia providers?

Healthcare leaders can play a crucial role in mitigating burnout among anesthesia providers, particularly residents. They should prioritize strategies to support their teams by understanding the factors contributing to emotional exhaustion, such as workload and lack of control, and implementing interventions to address these issues. These interventions can include workload management, flexible scheduling, providing adequate support systems, and promoting a healthy work environment. By taking proactive steps, healthcare leaders can improve provider well-being and, ultimately, the quality of patient care.

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