Job satisfaction and burnout among healthcare employees: a bibliometric analysis before and after Covid-19 pandemic

Healthcare professionals, the primary warriors, are emotionally exhausted because of the global health crisis; thus, understanding burnout and job satisfaction is imperative. Though the research topic is crucial and ample in empirical studies, it lacks a comprehensive literature review or bibliometric analysis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that contribute to burnout and job satisfaction among healthcare workers. A bibliometric analysis was adopted to evaluate global trends by narrowing job burnout and job satisfaction research on the healthcare sector. Out of 1171 articles assessed, the analysis included 124 articles from the Scopus database, the largest research database covering a wide range of subjects compared to others. The nine-year period from 2015 to 2023 was selected to unbiasedly assess research trends both before and after the pandemic. The Bibliometrix package in R-Studio, along with other tools, was employed to perform the analysis and address the research questions. The results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the need for mental health and burnout research among healthcare professionals, with a 28% increase. Research on occupational health, satisfaction, and patient safety before COVID-19 has shifted to workplace violence, stress, and resilience, with increased burnout and job satisfaction. The USA, China, the UK, Spain, and Italy are the leading countries with high research publications. Thus, understanding burnout and job satisfaction is crucial for managers and policymakers, as effective policies and support initiatives can boost satisfaction and reduce burnout.