BurnoutBURNSNCT06989606
Burnout in UK Paramedics: a National Survey
An observational study of Burnout and Sleep, run by Teesside University at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
The aim of this observational study is to learn how common burnout is among UK paramedics and what factors are associated with it. It also aims to explore how burnout relates to sleep quality and the intention to leave the profession. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Burnout, Sleep, Paramedical Professional
- How many people
- 92 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 10 Mar 2023to 21 Apr 2023
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: A member of the College of Paramedics, and/or a qualified or student Paramedic.
Who may be able to join
- A member of the College of Paramedics, and/or a qualified or student Paramedic.
- At least 18 years of age to be able to provide consent to take part in the online survey.
- Able to read and write in the English language.
Who cannot join
- Under the age of 18 years.
- Not a Paramedic (As associate members of the College of Paramedics are not required to be a paramedic).
- Not able to read and write in the English language.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The aim of this observational study is to learn how common burnout is among UK paramedics and what factors are associated with it. It also aims to explore how burnout relates to sleep quality and the intention to leave the profession. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- What is the prevalence of burnout among UK paramedics?
- How is burnout related to sleep quality?
- What personal or job-related factors are linked to higher levels of burnout?
- Does burnout relate to paramedics' intentions to leave the profession?
Read more
Participants completed an online survey that included:
- Demographic questions (e.g. age, years of service, shift patterns)
- The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) to assess burnout
- The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to measure sleep quality
Questions about their intention to leave the profession
Researchers analysed the responses using statistical techniques to identify relationships between burnout, sleep quality, and work-related factors.
Read the detailed description
This cross-sectional observational study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of burnout among UK paramedics, with a particular focus on the relationship between burnout and sleep quality. The impetus for this research stems from increasing concerns about workforce sustainability within UK ambulance services, where high attrition rates and recruitment challenges have raised concerns about the occupational wellbeing of paramedics. Burnout and poor sleep quality are known to negatively impact both individual health and job performance, making this an urgent area for empirical study.
Data were collected via an anonymous online survey disseminated through the College of Paramedics and social media channels. The survey comprised demographic questions (e.g. age, gender, years of service, shift length, and number of calls attended), the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) to assess personal, work-related, and client-related burnout, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to evaluate various dimensions of sleep quality. The survey also included an item assessing intention to leave the profession.
There are approximately 22,000 registrants (full, student and associate members) to the CoP (CoP, 2021), representing the total potential sample size eligible to complete the survey. A power analysis using an online sample size calculator (http://www.raosoft.com/samplesize.html) - based on a 50% response distribution, a 5% margin of error, and an 80% confidence level - indicates that the required sample size will be 164. To adjust for incomplete data, the sample size has been increased by 10%, indicating a sample of 181.
Analyses were conducted using JASP. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise participant characteristics and prevalence rates. Correlational analyses (both frequentist and Bayesian) examined associations between burnout scores, sleep quality, and key demographic and occupational variables. Logistic regression was employed to explore predictors of burnout, including PSQI scores, shift duration, call volume, and years of service.
This study provides novel insights into the occupational wellbeing of UK paramedics, with implications for workforce planning, health promotion, and retention strategies within emergency medical services.
- Conditions
- Burnout, Sleep, Paramedical Professional, Shift Work
- Keywords
- Burnout, Sleep Quality, Paramedic
- Medical subject headings
- Burnout, Psychological, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) questionnaire (Kristensen et al., 2005)
The CBI assesses three dimensions: personal burnout, work-related burnout, and client-related burnout. A contributing factor of burnout is sleeping pattern and quality. The PSQI assesses sleep quality and disturbances through seven subscales: sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction. These seven domains of sleep quality can be summed to obtain a maximum achievable score of 21, which indicates the highest level of sleep disturbance.
Measured: This was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant completed the questionnaire (between 10 March 2023 and 21 April 2023).
Secondary outcomes (1)
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire (Buysse et al., 1989).
The PSQI assesses sleep quality and disturbances through seven subscales: sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction. These seven domains of sleep quality can be summed to obtain a maximum achievable score of 21, which indicates the highest level of sleep disturbance.
Measured: This was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant completed the questionnaire (between 10 March 2023 and 21 April 2023).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 May 2025
- Study start10 Mar 2023
- Primary completion21 Apr 2023
- Study completion21 Apr 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for BurnoutStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 92 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Teesside University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jonathan Robinson, Ph.D, Teesside University
- Investigators
- Jonathan Robinson, PhD, Principal investigator, Teesside University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06989606
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 12818
- Acronym
- BURNS
- Status last verified
- May 2025
- First submitted
- 16 May 2025
- Last updated
- 30 May 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 May 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Burnout in UK Paramedics: a National Survey
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06989606
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BURNS / 12818
- Conditions
- Burnout, Sleep, Paramedical Professional, Shift Work
- Keywords
- Burnout, Sleep Quality, Paramedic
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 92 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Teesside UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Mar 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 21 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 21 Apr 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 May 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The aim of this observational study is to learn how common burnout is among UK paramedics and what factors are associated with it. It also aims to explore how burnout relates to sleep quality and the intention to leave the profession. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- What is the prevalence of burnout among UK paramedics?
- How is burnout related to sleep quality?
- What personal or job-related factors are linked to higher levels of burnout?
- Does burnout relate to paramedics' intentions to leave the profession?
Participants completed an online survey that included:
- Demographic questions (e.g. age, years of service, shift patterns)
- The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) to assess burnout
- The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to measure sleep quality
Questions about their intention to leave the profession
Researchers analysed the responses using statistical techniques to identify relationships between burnout, sleep quality, and work-related factors.
Detailed description
This cross-sectional observational study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of burnout among UK paramedics, with a particular focus on the relationship between burnout and sleep quality. The impetus for this research stems from increasing concerns about workforce sustainability within UK ambulance services, where high attrition rates and recruitment challenges have raised concerns about the occupational wellbeing of paramedics. Burnout and poor sleep quality are known to negatively impact both individual health and job performance, making this an urgent area for empirical study.
Data were collected via an anonymous online survey disseminated through the College of Paramedics and social media channels. The survey comprised demographic questions (e.g. age, gender, years of service, shift length, and number of calls attended), the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) to assess personal, work-related, and client-related burnout, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to evaluate various dimensions of sleep quality. The survey also included an item assessing intention to leave the profession.
There are approximately 22,000 registrants (full, student and associate members) to the CoP (CoP, 2021), representing the total potential sample size eligible to complete the survey. A power analysis using an online sample size calculator (http://www.raosoft.com/samplesize.html) - based on a 50% response distribution, a 5% margin of error, and an 80% confidence level - indicates that the required sample size will be 164. To adjust for incomplete data, the sample size has been increased by 10%, indicating a sample of 181.
Analyses were conducted using JASP. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise participant characteristics and prevalence rates. Correlational analyses (both frequentist and Bayesian) examined associations between burnout scores, sleep quality, and key demographic and occupational variables. Logistic regression was employed to explore predictors of burnout, including PSQI scores, shift duration, call volume, and years of service.
This study provides novel insights into the occupational wellbeing of UK paramedics, with implications for workforce planning, health promotion, and retention strategies within emergency medical services.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- A member of the College of Paramedics, and/or a qualified or student Paramedic.
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- A member of the College of Paramedics, and/or a qualified or student Paramedic.
- At least 18 years of age to be able to provide consent to take part in the online survey.
- Able to read and write in the English language.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Under the age of 18 years.
- Not a Paramedic (As associate members of the College of Paramedics are not required to be a paramedic).
- Not able to read and write in the English language.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) questionnaire (Kristensen et al., 2005)
Time frame: This was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant completed the questionnaire (between 10 March 2023 and 21 April 2023).
The CBI assesses three dimensions: personal burnout, work-related burnout, and client-related burnout. A contributing factor of burnout is sleeping pattern and quality. The PSQI assesses sleep quality and disturbances through seven subscales: sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction. These seven domains of sleep quality can be summed to obtain a maximum achievable score of 21, which indicates the highest level of sleep disturbance.
1 secondary outcome
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire (Buysse et al., 1989).
Time frame: This was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant completed the questionnaire (between 10 March 2023 and 21 April 2023).
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 30 May 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jonathan Robinson, PhD principal investigator
Teesside University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Burnout and Sleep, run by Teesside University at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 May 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) questionnaire (Kristensen et al., 2005) (time frame: This was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant completed the questionnaire (between 10 March 2023 and 21 April 2023).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 30 May 2025.