Introduction: Healthcare professionals are dedicated to their work but face demands and stress that can lead to burnout or mental health issues. ICU care for critically ill patients may heighten stress among medical staff. While previous studies have focused on nurses' work engagement and resilience, less is known about the engagement of rehabilitation therapists.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the differences in work engagement and factors related to resilience between nurses and rehabilitation professionals working in ICU.
Methods: A survey was conducted among nurses, physical and occupational therapists in Japanese hospitals with ICUs. It included the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-J), the Bidimensional Resilience Scale (BRS), and a questionnaire on experience. This study was approved by the authors' institutional Ethics Committee (Approval No. 22-330-B).
Results: The number of valid responses was 176 for nurses, 63 for physical therapists, and 15 for occupational therapists. UWES-J scores were significantly higher for rehabilitation professionals than for nurses (P<.001). Multiple regression analyses, using UWES-J as the dependent variable and BRS subscales and years of experience as independent variables, showed a positive association between UWES-J and BRS subscales for both groups. Additionally, for nurses, UWES-J was positively associated with years of experience.
Conclusion: ICU rehabilitation professionals showed higher work engagement than nurses. Nurses' engagement associated with experience, unlike rehabilitation professionals. These results suggest that job characteristics and required skills affect work engagement. Future research should explore factors that sustain rehabilitation professionals' engagement to improve job satisfaction and prevent burnout.