Objectives: As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads worldwide, healthcare workers were exposed to
unknown carriers, leading to work under physical and mental stress. Therefore, this study aimed to
investigate the burnout, emotional burnout, and stress of healthcare workers during the pandemic.
Methods: This study aimed to collect surveys and in-depth interviews. A cross-sectional study
was conducted in a teaching hospital in central Taiwan. Demographic variables, an occupational
burnout inventory, and 5-item brief symptom rating scale were included in the questionnaire. The
in-depth interview was conducted to collect qualitative data. Qualitative data analysis was to assure
healthcare workers’ stressors and form suggestions for responding to the pandemic.
Results: There were 192 questionnaires collected and included in data analysis, including 161 fe-
males (83.9%) and 87 of all participants (45.3%) aged 41 to 50. During the remission period of the
pandemic in 2021, the study subjects had moderate burnout (52.7 ± 13.7) and mild emotional burn-
out (7.5 ± 3.9). Participants aged 31 to 60 reported higher levels of over-commitment to work and
work engagement, especially those who worked more than 56 hours a week. In the multiple linear
regression model, it was reported that the number of hours worked per week also impacted work
engagement, while the number of children and sleep duration had impacted work-related burnout,
client-related burnout, and emotional distress. We conducted in-depth interviews with 10 partici-
pants during the remission period (2021/4/28-4/29) and the nationwide Level 3 pandemic alert pe-
riod (2021/5/27-6/10) and found that as the severity of the pandemic arose, staff’s work stress also
increased.
Conclusions: After the research results were summarized, we conducted a rolling strategy in
terms of structure and process to provide a safe and secure working environment and mental sup-
port, which is beneficial for healthcare workers to overcome the worries of the pandemic.