Assessment Methods Of The Somatization Process Related To The Nurses With Risk Of Developing The Burnout Syndrome

Introduction. In Romania, highlighting the burn-out syndrome (BOs) and, subsequent, the somatization process (SOM) related to the medical staff involved in the nursing of patients with severe chronic pathology is not a current concern, although early detection of the subjects who develop such pathology is absolutely necessary.The aim of the study. We propose an analysis of the somatization incidence to the nurses and if the SOM incidence is significantly different in nurses involved in the nursing of the patients with severe chronic illness to those involved in the treatment of the ordinary patients.Methods and means. This study have as subjects a target group (TG) of nurses (51) and a control group (CG) of nurses (46) to whom were applied an original combination of questionnaires (Maslach Burn-out Inventory + Brief Symptoms Inventory 18), supplemented with additional items proposed by the authors.Results. Initially, a comparative analysis of the BOs incidence in the nurses of the two groups was performed (34% in the TG, in comparison with 26% in the CG), considered to be relatively equal. After that It was revealed the incidence of SOM in subjects with BOs, observing that: a) SOM occurred with a 3,1 times higher (27,5%/8,7%, p=0.0202) in the TG, if we consider 4 as the minimum number of symptoms present in a subject such that the SOM exist and b) SOM occurred with a 5,9 times higher (23,5%/4,3%, p=0.0087) in the TG GT, if we consider 5 as the minimum number of symptoms present in a subject such that the SOM exist.Conclusions. This study addresses in an original way the somatization process appearance after the burnout syndrome in similar, but different categories of medical personnel. SOM has as generator key the relationship of nurses to patients with severe chronic illness and it is not strictly correlated with the incidence of the burnout syndrome appearance. The results allow the argument that subjects who care patients with serious chronic diseases have a major risk of somatizations with long term negative effects that underscores the need for regular and systematic evaluation of these medical personnel.