The effect of the time spent in the profession of physiotherapists on their professional burnout levels and job satisfaction

Physiotherapists are health professionals who use physical therapy techniques to distribute people's physical problems and increase their living limits. These costs arise from the effects of the length of time physiotherapists are employed in the profession on professional burnout levels and job satisfaction. A total of 219 physiotherapists, 78 male and 141 female, participated in this study. The participants were between the ages of 20-50 and were physiotherapists practicing their professions in private or public hospitals. In order to determine the burnout levels of the participants, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), adapted to Turkish by Ergin (1992) and tested for validity and reliability in Turkey by Çam (1992), was applied; and in order to determine the levels of job satisfaction, the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale, adapted to Turkish by Deniz and Güliz Gökçora, was applied. Occupational burnout is a result of stress and emotional demands; this situation reduces job satisfaction, while high job satisfaction is associated with better performance and low burnout. Therefore, there is a close relationship between the job satisfaction and occupational burnout of physiotherapists. According to the results of the study, it was observed that women had higher levels of emotional exhaustion and desensitization than men. However, no significant difference was found between the genders in terms of personal achievement and external satisfaction levels.. In the analyses conducted according to marital status, it was determined that the job satisfaction and burnout levels of married participants were higher than those who were single. However, it was determined that the effect of marital status on other areas was statistically insignificant. In the analyses conducted according to the number of patients, it was seen that internal satisfaction and external satisfaction levels showed significant differences according to the number of patients. The general satisfaction level did not show a significant difference according to the number of patients. Significant differences were found in the levels of emotional exhaustion, desensitization and personal achievement depending on the number of patients. Finally, it was found that weekly working hours did not have a significant effect on the occupational burnout levels and job satisfaction of physiotherapists. Key Words: Physiotherapist, time spent in the profession, burnout, job satisfaction