ACTA ENDOCRINOLOGICA (BUC)

Objective. This study aims to investigate the effect of job characteristics and protective factors on burnout, one of the common medical staff issues. So far, little attention has been paid to testing protective factors' role on medical staff exhaustion. Design. Using a correlation design, these constructs were tested on a sample of 221 participants, doctors, and nurses. Main Outcome. The present study revealed protective factors power in predicting burnout, over job characteristics, and the moderation effect of role-playing in the medical care unit and clinical department. Measures. For assessing burnout were used a Romanian translated version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey (MBI). Results. Protective factors like physical activities, vacation, and hours spent with family introduced an explanatory model and had a predictive validity over job characteristics in predicting medical staff's burnout. Finally, the effect of physical activities on burnout was moderated both by the role played in the medical care unit and clinical department, while the effect of time served in other medical institutions was moderated only by the role played in the medical care unit. Conclusion. These results provide guidance for better burnout programs interventions, which are addressed to medical healthcare experts.