The prevalence and predictors of burnout among employees of the national emergency medical services system: evidence from Poland

Background Burnout, classified in ICD-11 as a phenomenon associated with chronic workplace stress, represents a major challenge in emergency medicine. Employees of the State Emergency Medical System (SEMS) in Poland are exposed to high job demands, time pressure, traumatic events, and shift work, which may increase the risk of burnout. The aim of this study was to assess burnout severity and identify its determinants among SEMS employees using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), within the framework of the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model and in accordance with STROBE recommendations. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous online survey between October 2025 and January 2026. Of 302 individuals who initiated participation, 261 completed the questionnaire (86.4% completion rate). Burnout was assessed in two dimensions: exhaustion and disengagement. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated limited separability between these dimensions. Due to non-normal data distribution, nonparametric tests (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis) were applied, with effect sizes reported. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of exhaustion, and k-means clustering was used to identify burnout profiles. Results The study included 261 respondents (68.2% men, 31.8% women). Mean OLBI scores indicated a moderate level of burnout (disengagement: 2.508 ± 0.425; exhaustion: 2.657 ± 0.453), with exhaustion predominating. Salary satisfaction was significantly associated with both burnout dimensions ( p 0.001). Employees working in Emergency Departments reported higher exhaustion than those in Emergency Medical Services ( p 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified lower salary satisfaction, employment in Emergency Departments, and female gender as independent predictors of higher exhaustion. Cluster analysis revealed two distinct burnout profiles, with the high-burnout profile more frequent among Emergency Department staff and individuals reporting lower salary satisfaction. Conclusion Moderate burnout, dominated by exhaustion, was observed among SEMS employees in Poland. Organizational factors, particularly salary satisfaction and workplace setting, were key correlates. These findings highlight the need for system-level interventions to improve working conditions and workforce sustainability, while acknowledging the cross-sectional design and psychometric limitations.