Work related stress, burnout, job satisfaction and general health of nurses: A follow-up study

The risk factors for burnout among nurses: An investigation study

The objective of this investigation study is to examine the levels of burnout and work engagement among nurses working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, we aim to analyze the risk factors associated with nurse burnout. This investigation study included a sample of 1764 registered nurses from 6 tertiary comprehensive hospitals in Wuhan. A total of 1800 questionnaires were distributed via email between January 2021 and July 2021, and 1764 completed questionnaires were returned. Nurses who had been on the front lines of the COVID-19 fight for more than six months were included in the study. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) scale was utilized to assess burnout levels among all nurses. Work engagement was measured using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). The general health of the nurses was evaluated using the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) score. Demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, hospital, department, education, years of experience, daily overtime, weekly rest time, number of night shifts per month, smoking or drinking habits, marital status, etc, were also collected. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 25.0. The GHQ-12 scores in the FC group were significantly higher than those in the non-frontline COVID-19 (NFC) group. Compared to the average value of the 2 groups, we found that the dimension 2 average value of UWES in NFC group (3.52 ± 1.07) were remarkably higher than that in FC group (3.40 ± 1.08, P < .05). Furthermore, the dimension 1 (emotional exhaustion) average value and dimension 2 (depersonalization) average value of MBI-GS in NFC group were remarkably declined than that in FC group. Spearman rank correlation showed that negative correlation among the average value of each dimension and the overall average values between MBI-GS and UWES. Logistic regression analysis showed that daily Overtime, fight against COVID-19, GHQ-12 score and dimension 2 of UWES were the risk factors for nurse burnout. In summary, this study showed that the dimension 1 (emotional exhaustion) average value and dimension 2 (depersonalization) average value of MBI-GS in NFC group were remarkably declined than that in FC group. This study may provide some basis for addressing nurse burnout.

Stressors and coping styles of nursing students in the middle period of clinical practicum: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Nursing students encounter various stressors during their clinical practicum; however, the stressors are not the same during different periods. At present, studies on the stressors and coping styles of nursing students in the middle period of their clinical practicum are rare.

AIMS

The current study aimed to explore the stressors and coping styles of nursing students in the middle period of their clinical practicum.

METHODS

A qualitative study with a descriptive phenomenological method was conducted to collect data from 10 nursing students undergoing the middle period of their clinical practicum from December 2020 to February 2021. The data were collected by semistructured interviews using interview outlines prepared in advance. The data were analyzed by Colaizzi's analysis method.

RESULTS

The stressors experienced by nursing students in the middle period of their clinical practicum mainly included personal reasons, teaching arrangements, interpersonal relationships, occupational particularity and career planning. Additionally, nursing students coped with the stressors that they face in the clinical practicum by eliminating stressors and regulating emotions.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing students experienced various stressors and used a variety of coping styles in the middle period of their clinical practicum, which was different from what occurred in the early and late periods. Targeted interventions should be formulated and implemented to relieve nursing students' stress and guide them to adopt effective coping styles.

How Mental Health Nurses Report Their Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction: A Cross-Sectional Study and the Implications for Healthcare Leaders

Compassion fatigue is the cost of caring for others in emotional pain where the helping professional absorbs the trauma of those they help and cannot detach emotionally at the end of the day. Stressful and perceived unsupportive work environments may leave the caregiver at a heightened risk for compassion fatigue. To study the level of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction experienced by mental health nurses. A descriptive, cross-sectional, electronic survey design was utilized. The Professional Quality of Life Scale-5 was used. The study was conducted at a large, urban hospital that exclusively treats patients with mental health and addiction issues located in Ontario, Canada. The sample included all nurses who were listed on the hospital's Email list. All nurses who are displayed on this list are mental health nurses. Analyses were conducted to assess for differences between the characteristics and the subscales of professional quality of life. One hundred and forty-eight mental health nurses completed a questionnaire. The response rate was 21%. Seventy-six percent reported moderate levels of burnout, 59% reported moderate levels of secondary traumatic stress, and 21% reported high levels of compassion satisfaction. Predictors were seen for the characteristics of gender, ethnicity, marital status, area, exposure to violence and support felt. Compassion fatigue has clear implications. Organizations willing to invest in reducing it, have the potential to improve patient outcomes and the well-being of nurses. The majority of mental health nurses reported moderate levels for each of the subscales.

Risk factors and consequences of mental health problems in nurses: A scoping review of cohort studies

Mental health problems in nurses are prevalent and impairing. To date, no literature has comprehensively synthesised cohort evidence on mental health among nurses. This scoping review aimed to synthesise the existing literature on the risk factors and consequences of mental health problems in nurses. A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, Epistemonikos database, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO from inception to March 2023. We identified 171 cohort studies from 16 countries, mostly (95.3%) from high-income economies. This review indicated that nurses worldwide encountered significant mental health challenges, including depression, cognitive impairment, anxiety, trauma/post-traumatic stress disorder, burnout, sleep disorder, and other negative mental health problems. These problems were closely related to various modifiable risk factors such as nurses' behaviours and lifestyles, social support, workplace bullying and violence, shift work, job demands, and job resources. Moreover, nurses' mental health problems have negative effects on their physical health, behaviour and lifestyle, occupation and organisation, and intrapersonal factors. These findings provided an enhanced understanding of mental health complexities among nurses, and shed light on policy enactment to alleviate the negative impact of mental health problems on nurses. Addressing mental health among nurses should be a top priority.

A comprehensive analysis concerning eating behavior associated with chronic diseases among Romanian community nurses

Introduction

Lifestyle factors, including inadequate eating patterns, emerge as a critical determinant of chronic disease. Apart from caring for patients, nurses should also take an active role in monitoring and managing their own health. Understanding the intricate relationship between nurses' eating behavior and managing their own health is crucial for fostering a holistic approach to healthcare, therefore our study aimed to evaluate eating behavior and demographic factors influencing chronic disease prevalence in a sample of community nurses from Romania.

Methods

Between October-November 2023, 1920 community nurses were invited to answer an online survey, using an advertisement in their professional network. Of them, 788 responded. In the survey, which included a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire with 53 food items, the Intuitive Eating Survey 2 (IES-2), and demographic items were used.

Results

A multivariate model was built for the prediction of the association between eating behavior and other factors associated with chronic diseases. The majority of participants were females (95.1%), with the largest age group falling between 40 and 49.9 years (48.2%). Regarding the EFSA criteria for adequate carbohydrate and fat intake, 20.2% of the group have a high intake of carbohydrates, respectively, 43.4% of the group have a high intake of fat. Analysis of chronic diseases indicated that 24.9% of individuals reported at least one diagnosis by a physician. The presence of chronic disease was associated with a low level of perceived health status, with an OR = 3.388, 95%CI (1.684-6.814), compared to those reporting excellent or very good perceived health status. High stress had an OR = 1.483, 95%CI (1.033-2.129). BMI had an OR = 1.069, 95%CI (1.032-1.108), while low carbohydrate diet score had an OR = 0.956, 95%CI (0.920-0.992). Gender and IES-2 did not significantly contribute to the model, but their effect was controlled.

Discussion

By unraveling the intricate interplay between nutrition, lifestyle, and health outcomes in this healthcare cohort, our findings contribute valuable insights for the development of targeted interventions and support programs tailored to enhance the well-being of community nurses and, by extension, the patients they support.

Gene‒environment interaction effect of hypothalamic‒pituitary‒adrenal axis gene polymorphisms and job stress on the risk of sleep disturbances

Background

Studies have shown that chronic exposure to job stress may increase the risk of sleep disturbances and that hypothalamic‒pituitary‒adrenal (HPA) axis gene polymorphisms may play an important role in the psychopathologic mechanisms of sleep disturbances. However, the interactions among job stress, gene polymorphisms and sleep disturbances have not been examined from the perspective of the HPA axis. This study aimed to know whether job stress is a risk factor for sleep disturbances and to further explore the effect of the HPA axis gene × job stress interaction on sleep disturbances among railway workers.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 671 participants (363 males and 308 females) from the China Railway Fuzhou Branch were included. Sleep disturbances were evaluated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and job stress was measured with the Effort-Reward Imbalance scale (ERI). Generalized multivariate dimensionality reduction (GMDR) models were used to assess gene‒environment interactions.

Results

We found a significant positive correlation between job stress and sleep disturbances (P < 0.01). The FKBP5 rs1360780-T and rs4713916-A alleles and the CRHR1 rs110402-G allele were associated with increased sleep disturbance risk, with adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of 1.75 [1.38-2.22], 1.68 [1.30-2.18] and 1.43 [1.09-1.87], respectively. However, the FKBP5 rs9470080-T allele was a protective factor against sleep disturbances, with an OR (95% CI) of 0.65 [0.51-0.83]. GMDR analysis indicated that under job stress, individuals with the FKBP5 rs1368780-CT, rs4713916-GG, and rs9470080-CT genotypes and the CRHR1 rs110402-AA genotype had the greatest risk of sleep disturbances.

Conclusions

Individuals carrying risk alleles who experience job stress may be at increased risk of sleep disturbances. These findings may provide new insights into stress-related sleep disturbances in occupational populations.

Characteristics of a good nurse as perceived by nurses

BACKGROUND

Nursing is a humanitarian and social field that provides health services. It combines science and art and has a rich history. Despite fundamental changes in the provision of medical services and nursing education, the concept of "good nurse" is still unclear.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this article is to investigate the characteristics of a good nurse from the nurses' perspective.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD

A qualitative study was applied using conventional content analysis. The participants were 30 nurses that selected with purposive sampling method. Data were collected through unstructured interviews and simultaneously analyzed via the conventional content analysis approach of Graneheim and Lundman.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

FINDINGS

The study revealed that personal characteristics (Adherence to ethical and human principles, Physical health, Attractive appearance, and Ability to communicate properly); and professional characteristics (knowledge - clinical skill - nursing roles) are essential to being a good nurse.

CONCLUSION

Coming to know the distinctive features of a good nurse as perceived by nurses themselves creates an opportunity for nurses to rethink their profession and to reflect on the characteristics of the good nurse.

Levels of actigraphy-derived physical activity among Polish nurses: factors associated with the prevalence of selected metabolic disorders

Numerous studies demonstrate a relationship between physical activity and the development of non-communicable diseases. Nurses play a crucial role in the healthcare system, and their demanding work can have an impact on their health. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess physical activity in relation to factors predisposing to the occurrence of specific metabolic disorders among Polish nurses. The measurements included physical activity level using ActiGraph GT3X, body weight composition using Tanita MC-980, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure using Welch Allyn 4200B, lipid profile, and fasting blood glucose using CardioChek PA. The results indicate that nearly one-third (31.75%) of the total sample of studied nurses do not meet the criteria for the minimum amount of physical activity of at least moderate intensity. Furthermore, over half of the surveyed nurses (55.5%) were classified as overweight or obese based on BMI, and almost half (42.86%) had abdominal obesity. The regression model, employing linear regression, revealed that factors predisposing to selected metabolic disorders were age, engaging in multiple jobs, and the number of steps per day. There is a pressing need to implement comprehensive and supportive initiatives to improve the overall health condition of nurses in Poland through increased physical activity. Activating and supporting this professional group is an investment that benefits not only the nurses themselves but also the healthcare system and the entire nation.

Compassion fatigue and stress related to cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a study of critical care nurses' experiences

BACKGROUND

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is considered one of the most stressful experiences in critical care nursing; it directly and indirectly leads to compassion fatigue and burnout.

AIM

Determine the levels of and relationship between postcode stress and compassion fatigue.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A descriptive-correlational study using 300 critical care nurses from five intensive care units in two hospitals was conducted.

TOOLS

Demographic and work-related data, the Postcode Stress Scale, and the Professional Quality of Life Scale: Compassion Fatigue subscale.

RESULTS

Nurses had moderate to high postcode stress and compassion fatigue (67.98 ± 16.39 and 65.40±14.34, respectively). Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between postcode stress, burnout (r=0.350, p=<0.001), secondary traumatic stress (r=0.518, p=<0.001), and subsequently, compassion fatigue (r=0.449, p=<0.001). In addition, higher levels of postcode stress were associated with higher levels of compassion fatigue with its subscales: burnout and secondary traumatic stress, with a coefficient of determination for compassion fatigue (0.199), burnout subscale (0.121), and secondary traumatic stress (0.266).

CONCLUSION

Critical care nurses involved in resuscitation experiences are susceptible to postcode stress, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue. There is a significant relationship between these factors, with higher levels of postcode stress contributing to higher levels of compassion fatigue and its subscales: burnout and secondary traumatic stress. These results highlight the importance of addressing and managing the psychological well-being of nurses in resuscitation settings to mitigate the adverse effects of stress and promote their overall resilience and well-being.

Psychopathological Burden among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to the Pre-Pandemic Period

This retrospective observational study on hospital staff requesting an "application visit" (from 2017 to 2022) at the Occupational Medicine department aimed at comparing a "pre-COVID group" (2017-2019) with a "COVID group" (2020-2022) regarding (a) sociodemographic data (i.e., age, sex, occupation, years of employment at the hospital), (b) rate and type of psychiatric diagnoses in both groups and rate of psychiatric diagnoses per subject, and (c) rate of drug/psychotherapeutic prescriptions. Two hundred and five healthcare workers (F = 73.7%; mean age = 50.7 ± 10.33) were visited. Compared with the pre-COVID group, healthcare workers evaluated during COVID-19 were significantly younger and reported fewer years of employment at the hospital. Although rates of primary psychiatric diagnoses were similar in both samples, an increased number of psychopathologies per subject and associated treatment prescriptions in the COVID group was observed. In the COVID group, 61% had one psychiatric diagnosis, and 28% had 2+ psychiatric diagnoses, compared with 83.8% and 6.7% of pre-COVID. Furthermore, 56.2%/1.9% in pre-COVID and 73%/6% in the COVID group were prescribed drugs/psychotherapy, respectively. The findings of the present study highlighted an increase in both younger workers' requests and psychiatric comorbidities during the pandemic, representing a burden on the Italian healthcare system. It is thus relevant to address the mental health challenges of healthcare workers accordingly.

Latent profiles of nursing students' professional identity and their relationship with stress and coping styles during clinical practicum

AIM

This study aimed to identify the latent profiles of professional identity among nursing students and explore the factors associated with different profiles.

BACKGROUND

Nursing students' professional identity is easily influenced by various factors. However, current studies mainly focused on the overall level of professional identity and its related factors, ignoring the population heterogeneity of nursing students' professional identity.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

METHODS

A convenient sampling was used to collect data from 384 nursing students who were undergoing their clinical practicum in the affiliated hospitals of a medical university in China between January and April 2021. Data were collected using the demographic questionnaire, the nursing student internship stress scale, the simplified coping style questionnaire, and the professional identity scale for nursing students. A latent profile analysis was used to identify the latent profiles of professional identity. Kruskal-Wallis H test, analysis of variance and ordinal logistic regression were used to determine factors that were associated with different profiles of professional identity.

RESULT

Nursing students' professional identity could be classified into four profiles: low professional identity, relatively low professional identity, relatively high professional identity and high professional identity. These four profiles showed unique relationships with choosing nursing voluntarily, willing to be a clinical nursing staff, stress in conflict between study and work, and positive coping styles.

CONCLUSION

The majority of the nursing students were classified into profile 1 (low professional identity) and 2 ( relatively low professional identity). Nursing students' lower professional identity need to be further enhanced by improving social recognition of nurses to increase the willingness of high school graduates to choose nursing voluntarily, allocating nursing workforce rationally to increase the willingness of nursing student to be a clinical nursing staff, reducing nursing students' stress in conflict between study and work and encouraging them to adopt positive coping styles.

The relationship between psychological resilience and professional quality of life among mental health nurses: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Mental health nursing is a demanding and stressful profession that impacts nurses' professional quality of life. Psychological resilience can be a protective factor. However, the relationship has not been extensively studied. This study aims to examine the relationship between psychological resilience and professional quality of life and identify potential predictors of ProQOL subscales among mental health nurses.

METHODS

The study employed a cross-sectional design to collect data from 179 mental health nurses. Data was collected using two standardized questionnaires: the Connor-Davidson resilience scale and the professional quality of life scale. Participants were recruited through convenient sampling during a 3-month period from April to June 2022, and the data were collected using an online survey tool called QuestionPro.

RESULTS

The study found a strong positive correlation between psychological resilience and compassion satisfaction (r = 0.632, P < 0.001). However, there was a negative significant correlation between resilience with burnout (r = -0.470, P < 0.001) and secondary traumatic stress (r = -0.210, P = 0.005). The study also found that higher resilience levels were associated with higher levels of compassion satisfaction and lower levels of secondary traumatic stress. Additionally, higher burnout scores were associated with higher levels of secondary traumatic stress. The study also identified that age and the number of children had weak associations with compassion satisfaction, while workplace was a significant predictor of burnout and secondary traumatic stress.

CONCLUSION

The study emphasizes the importance of resilience, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress in the well-being of healthcare professionals, especially nurses. The findings suggest that assessing nurses' resilience and professional quality of life can raise psychological resilience awareness and help managers create the necessary working conditions to improve nurses' professional quality of life.

Fatigue as a Cause of Professional Dissatisfaction Among Chinese Nurses in Intensive Care Unit During COVID-19 Pandemic

Aim

To clarify the mediating role of burnout and the moderating role of turnover intention in the association between fatigue and job satisfaction among Chinese nurses in intensive care units (ICU) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of fifteen provinces in China was conducted, using an online questionnaire, from December 2020 to January 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 374 ICU nurses (effective response rate: 71.37%) provided sufficient responses. Sociodemographic factors, job demographic factors, fatigue, burnout, job satisfaction, and turnover intention were assessed using questionnaires. General linear modeling (GLM), hierarchical linear regression (HLR) analysis, and generalized additive modeling (GAM) were performed to examine all the considered research hypotheses.

Results

Fatigue was found to be negatively and significantly associated with job satisfaction. Moreover, burnout played a partial mediating role and turnover intention played a moderating role in the relationship between fatigue and job satisfaction.

Conclusion

Over time, a state of physical and mental exhaustion and work weariness among Chinese ICU nurses potentially results in job burnout and consequently promotes the level of job dissatisfaction. The results also found that turnover intention played a moderating role in the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction. Specific policies could be considered to eliminate nurses' fatigue and negative attitudes during times of public health emergencies.

Exploration of Lived Experiences and Measurement of Burnout Among US Clinical Research Nurses

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to explore the experiences of US clinical research nurses supporting the conduct of clinical trials before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and assess dimensions of burnout among these nurses using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey.

BACKGROUND

Clinical research nurses are a subspecialty of nursing that supports clinical trial conduct. Postpandemic clinical research nurse well-being, including indicators of burnout, has not been established.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study via online survey was conducted.

RESULTS

A sample of US clinical research nurses scored overall high for the Maslach category of Emotional Exhaustion, moderate for Depersonalization, and moderate for Personal Achievement. Themes included together or apart, rewarding but challenging, and surviving or thriving.

CONCLUSION

Supportive measures such as workplace appreciation and consistent change communication may benefit clinical research nurse well-being and reduce burnout during times of unpredicted crisis and beyond.

The associations of psychological burnout and time factors on medication errors in rotating shift nurses in Korea: A cross sectional descriptive study

AIM

To describe the associations of psychological burnout and time factors on hospital nurses' medication errors.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey design was used.

METHODS

A structured questionnaire pertaining to psychological burnout, time factors and medication error was administered to 200 bedside nurses working at two tertiary university hospitals in Korea. The associations between the psychological burnout, time factor and medication error were analysed with the zero-inflated negative binomial regression for over-dispersed and over-abundant zeros count data.

RESULTS

Higher psychological burnout, shorter meal time during duty and longer weekly overtime were associated with an increased likelihood of medication error of nurses working in tertiary university hospitals. For medication safety, nurse managers should provide appropriate administrative support to nurses to cope with psychological burnout of nurses. Work time management should also be considered as human factors to satisfy the needs of nurses, such as securing meal times and maintaining a low level of weekly overtime.

High levels of burnout among health professionals treating COVID-19 patients in two Nile basin countries with limited resources

Burnout syndrome is a real cause for concern in African health facilities. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) burnout is considered a great public health problem and especially during pandemics as several physical and emotional stressors on this population can lead to increased burnout. This study aimed to investigate the frequency and associated factors of occupational burnout among HCPs working at COVID-19 isolation facilities in Egypt and Sudan. This is important to summarize lessons learned and inform relevant interventions for future pandemic responses. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among frontline HCPs from May 2021 to July 2021. An online, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Occupational burnout was estimated using  the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. A total of 362 HCPs participated in the study and were equally recruited from Egypt (181) and Sudan (181) with a mean age of (31.84 ± 8.32) years. More than half of HCPs were females (60%) and physicians (58.3%). Most HCPs included in the study had high levels of work disengagement (75.4%) and emotional exhaustion (98.6%). Burnout syndrome was present in 75% of the HCPs with 77% among Egyptian HCPs and 71% among Sudanese HCPs. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine predictors of burnout, working hours per week were the parameters associated with burnout syndrome among Egyptian HCPs; while for Sudanese HCPs, these were age and number of days off. The study revealed a high level of burnout syndrome among HCPs working at COVID-19 isolation facilities in both Egypt and Sudan. Appropriate actions should be taken to preserve the mental health status of HCPs through the establishment of effective and efficient coping strategies.

Teacher Burnout in the Time of COVID-19: Antecedents and Psychological Consequences

The important, frontline role of teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic has often gone unrecognized, and attention to their mental health and well-being is often only the focus of scholarly research. The unprecedented challenges that teachers faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the stresses and strains associated with it have severely impacted their psychological well-being. This study examined the predictors and the psychological consequences of burnout. Participants (N = 355) were schoolteachers in South Africa who completed the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Questionnaire, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Role Orientation Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Centre for Epidemiological Depression Scale, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The results of a multiple regression showed that fear of COVID-19, role ambiguity, and role conflict were significant predictors of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, while perceived infectability and role ambiguity significantly predicted personal accomplishment. Gender and age also predicted emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, respectively, and age was also a significant predictor of personal accomplishment. Generally, the dimensions of burnout were significant predictors of indices of psychological well-being-namely, depression, hopelessness, anxiety, and life satisfaction-with the exception of the association between depersonalization and life satisfaction. Our results suggest that intervention efforts to reduce burnout need to provide teachers with adequate job resources to buffer against the demands and stressors associated with their work.

Psychosocial factors associated with career success among nurses: A latent profile analysis

AIM

In this study, a person-centred approach was used to analyse career success profiles and explore the associated psychosocial factors among nurses.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was conducted from 15 April to 15 October 2019.

METHODS

A total of 1155 registered Chinese nurses were recruited from two general hospitals using convenience sampling. Participants completed a printed questionnaire, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Stress of Conscience Questionnaire, Practice Environment Scale, and Career Success Scale. Latent profile analysis and multinomial logistic regression were performed. The data were analysed with Mplus 8.3 and SPSS version 26.0.

RESULTS

Three latent profiles of career success were identified: high, moderate and low. Nurses with lower educational levels, more years of work experience, lower emotional exhaustion, higher personal achievement, lower stress of conscience and higher participation in hospital affairs were more likely to have higher career success than the other profiles.

CONCLUSIONS

Burnout, stress of conscience, practice environment, educational level and years of work experience were associated with career success among nurses. Targeting interventions may help enhance nurses' career success. Future research should combine subjective and objective indicators (salary, title and so on) to assess career success and explore other determinants for formulating interventions to enhance nurses' career success.

IMPACT

The heterogeneity and psychosocial factors associated with nurses' career success provide valuable evidence for the formulation of individualized interventions. Nursing managers should understand the importance of career success, develop interventions to reduce nurses' burnout and stress of conscience, and improve the practice environment to enhance their career success.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTIONS

This study was designed to examine the psychosocial factors associated with nurses' career success. The study was not conducted using suggestions from the patient groups or the public.

Association between social supports and negative emotions among pediatric residents in China: The chain-mediating role of psychological resilience and burnout

Background

Chinese pediatricians are facing challenges, and there is a need to examine the issue of negative emotions, namely, stress, anxiety and depression, among front-line pediatric residents in clinical settings. Understanding the current situation and influencing factors of negative emotions among pediatric residents in China and exploring the formation mechanism can lay a foundation for psychological interventions.

Methods

A total of 138 pediatric residents in the Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China, were surveyed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS).

Results

(1) The incidence of abnormal stress, anxiety, and depression among pediatric residents was 18.8%, 47.8%, and 47.8% respectively. (2) Negative emotions were significantly negatively correlated with social supports and psychological resilience, and positively correlated with burnout. (3) The chain-mediating effect of resilience and burnout between social supports and negative emotions was significant.

Conclusion

Psychological resilience and burnout played a chain-mediating role between social supports and negative emotions. Measures should be taken to improve the mental health of Chinese pediatric residents.

A New Gain Spiral at Work: Relationships between Virtuous Organizational Practices, Psychological Capital, and Well-Being of Workers

Identifying antecedents of well-being at work is an active field of research, focusing notably on organizational practices that promote employees' optimal health. To date, whereas studies have demonstrated that some organizational practices, considered in isolation, are positively associated with indicators of well-being, none tested the joint effect of a bundle of practices on these. Moreover, few studies have examined the psychological mechanisms underlying these relationships. The present study aimed to identify the relationships between virtuous organizational practices, a new psychological integrative construct, and three indicators of workers' hedonic, eudaimonic, and social well-being, namely job satisfaction, thriving at work, and work-life balance, and to test the mediational role of psychological capital in these relationships. The sample comprised 400 French employees working in non-profit, private, and public organizations. Structural equation modeling confirmed the direct effects of virtuous organizational practices on the three indicators of well-being, and a bootstrapping procedure demonstrated that psychological capital partially mediates these relationships. The results of this study have many practical applications because virtuous organizational practices can easily be implemented and optimized in work organizations to develop the individual resources of workers and, in detail, to promote their psychological well-being. Finally, the contributions of this study, avenues for future research, and limitations are discussed.

The association of perceived leadership style and subjective well-being of employees in a tertiary hospital in Germany

BACKGROUND

Professionals in the healthcare sector are a particularly vulnerable group for occupational strain due to high work-related psychological stress. For the implementation of targeted stress-prevention interventions as an important part of a workplace health management programme for all occupational groups and hierarchy levels, information about the current state of their mental health is mandatory. Hence, this study investigated the association of general well-being and different leadership styles among employees in a German tertiary hospital.

METHODS

Via an online survey, 10,101 employees were contacted. The final sample consisted of 1137 employees. Of these, 27.7% described themselves as leaders and 72.3% as followers. Most participants were female (74.8%), more than half were under 41 years old. Besides control variables, general well-being (WHO-5) and leadership style (transactional and transformational, laissez-faire and destructive leadership) were assessed.

RESULTS

Leaders reported higher well-being scores than followers. Physicians without leadership responsibilities had the lowest scores for well-being. Practitioners of both transformational and transactional leadership were associated with higher well-being scores, while those practicing laissez-faire and destructive leadership had lower scores for almost every professional group.

CONCLUSION

Results highlight the necessity for future multimodal health-preventive leadership interventions feature behavioural and organizational intervention modules specifically tailored to hospital professionals at different hierarchical and functional levels to foster the mental health of employees.

Work stress, mental health, and employee performance

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak-as a typical emergency event-significantly has impacted employees' psychological status and thus has negatively affected their performance. Hence, along with focusing on the mechanisms and solutions to alleviate the impact of work stress on employee performance, we also examine the relationship between work stress, mental health, and employee performance. Furthermore, we analyzed the moderating role of servant leadership in the relationship between work stress and mental health, but the result was not significant. The results contribute to providing practical guidance for enterprises to improve employee performance in the context of major emergencies.

The work-related stress experienced by registered nurses at municipal aged care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative interview study

BACKGROUND

Stress can originate from many different unsatisfying work situations. Registered nurses working in municipal care have experience of work-related stress in different ways.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to describe the work-related stress experienced by registered nurses caring for older people at municipal aged care facilities.

METHODS

Qualitative semi-structured interviews according to Polit and Beck were carried out in clinical work at six different municipal aged care facilities in Sweden. Twelve registered nurses participated in the study.

RESULTS

The results outlined in one main central theme: Feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction contribute to work-related stress and three categories: Difficulty coping with work tasks, Insufficient support, Work-related stress affects private lives. Areas identified were lack of time, staff shortages, high number of patients, lack of communication and teamwork in the working group, showing that inadequacy and dissatisfaction can contribute to work-related stress. This can contribute to work-related stress, and it can be a result of problems in the organizational and social work environment.

CONCLUSION

This study showed the everyday experiences of registered nurses' stress at work. The reasons that registered nurses experience a heavy workload were found to be similar in several municipal care facilities. Future interventions should consider the areas of stress found in this study to reduce the risk of further increasing the work-related stress experienced by registered nurses working in municipal aged care.

Work stress, burnout, occupational commitment, and social support among Chinese pediatric nurses: A moderated mediation model

PURPOSE

Pediatric nurses are at high risk for burnout, resulting in unsatisfactory care quality. Although job resources like social support can prevent the development of burnout under work stress, the mediating role of personal resources like occupational commitment is not well studied. This study was to examine the mediating role of occupational commitment in the relationship between work stress and burnout, and test if the effect of work stress on occupational commitment varies at different levels of social support among pediatric nurses.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data of pediatric nurses from 6 hospitals in Chengdu, China. Multiple linear regressions and bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals were used to test the proposed model.

RESULTS

In this sample of 488 pediatric nurses, work stress was significantly associated with emotional exhaustion (β = 0.278, p < 0.001), depersonalization (β = 0.112, p < 0.001), and personal accomplishment (β = -0.047, p < 0.05). Occupational commitment partly mediated the links of work stress and emotional exhaustion (β = 0.056, 95%CI: 0.034-0.082), and depersonalization (β = 0.026, 95%CI: 0.014-0.041), and fully mediated the relationship between work stress and personal accomplishment (β = -0.059, 95%CI: -0.080 ∼ -0.039). Social support significantly moderated the relationship between work stress and occupational commitment (β = 0.007, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Among pediatric nurses, work stress has an indirect influence on burnout through occupational commitment, and such an effect is weakened when social support is high.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Nurse managers could consider developing interventions by promoting both occupational commitment and social support to prevent burnout of employees.

Leadership program with skills training for general practitioners was highly accepted without improving job satisfaction: the cluster randomized IMPROVEjob study

Leadership has become an increasingly important issue in medicine as leadership skills, job satisfaction and patient outcomes correlate positively. Various leadership training and physician psychological well-being programmes have been developed internationally, yet no standard is established in primary care. The IMPROVEjob leadership program was developed to improve job satisfaction among German general practitioners and practice personnel. Its acceptance and effectiveness were evaluated. The IMPROVEjob intervention is a participatory, interdisciplinary and multimodal leadership intervention that targets leadership, workflows and communication in general practices using three elements: (1) two leadership workshops with skills training; (2) a toolbox with printed and online material, and (3) a 9-month implementation phase supported by facilitators. A cluster-randomised trial with a waiting-list control evaluated the effectiveness on the primary outcome job satisfaction assessed by the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (range 0-100). A mixed-methods approach with questionnaires and participant interviews evaluated the acceptance of the intervention and factors influencing the implementation of intervention content. Statistical analyses respected the clustered data structure. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated intervention adjustments: online instead of on-site workshops, online material instead of facilitator practice visits. Overall, 52 of 60 practices completed the study, with altogether 70 practice leaders, 16 employed physicians, and 182 practice assistants. According to an intention-to-treat analysis, job satisfaction decreased between baseline and follow-up (not significantly) in the total study population and in both study arms, while the subgroup of practice leaders showed a non-significant increase. A mixed multilevel regression model showed no effect of the intervention on job satisfaction (b = - 0.36, p > 0.86), which was influenced significantly by a greater sense of community (b = 0.14, p < 0.05). The acceptance of the IMPROVEjob workshops was high, especially among practice leaders compared to assistants (1 = best to 5 = worst): skills training 1.78 vs. 2.46, discussions within the practice team 1.87 vs. 2.28, group discussions 1.96 vs. 2.21. The process evaluation revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic complicated change processes and delayed the implementation of intervention content in practice routines. The workshops within the participatory IMPROVEjob intervention were rated very positively but the multimodal intervention did not improve job satisfaction 9 months into the pandemic. Qualitative data showed an impairment of implementation processes by the unforeseeable COVID pandemic.Trial registration Registration number: DRKS00012677 on 16/10/2019.

Self-Care and Sense of Coherence: A Salutogenic Model for Health and Care in Nursing Education

Background: Effective advocacy on self-care and the enhancement of a sense of coherence among nurses don’t only benefit control over one’s health and personal performance, but it may have a direct impact on clinical care and on the entire healing system. In this regard, nursing curricula grounded on a salutogenic model of health (SMH) operate with strategies to engage students in self-care and contribute to improving their mental health and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between self-care agency and a sense of coherence as dependent variables and the age and self-reported academic performance as independent variables in nursing assistant students. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, data were collected from a full sample of 921 Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Spanish students. A self-administered questionnaire, including sociodemographic variables, the ‘appraisal of self-care agency’ (ASA), and the ‘sense of coherence’ (SOC) constructs, was administered. Results: Results: Older participants presented significantly stronger values of both constructs. Apart from a significant and positive correlation between ASAS and SOC, ANOVA analyses indicate signif-icant differences in terms of academic performance according to different ASAS and SOC de-grees. Conclusion: The findings of this study endorse the assumption that there is a consistent relationship between ASA and SOC constructs that might, indeed, have a potential effect on stu-dents’ academic performance. In practical terms, it seems relevant to try to recognise the stu-dents’ self-care agency and the sense of coherence as forceful predictive variables of mental health and wellbeing, in addition to academic success as a strength implied in the future career achievement.

Job demands, job resources, and health outcomes among nursing professionals in private and public healthcare sectors in Sweden - a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Nursing professionals exhibit high prevalence of stress-related health problems. Job demands and job resources are parallel drivers of health and well-being among employees. Better job resources associate with better job satisfaction, job motivation and engagement even when job demands are high. To date, there is limited research which explores the association between job demands, job resources and health outcomes among nursing professionals in the Swedish context. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate Swedish nursing professionals' job demands and job resources in relation to health outcomes, with comparisons between the private and public healthcare sectors. The specific research questions were as follows: (1) Are there differences between private and public healthcare regarding job demands, job resources, and health outcomes? and (2) Are there prospective associations between job demands and job resources in relation to health outcomes?

METHODS

Data were drawn from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) 2016 and 2018, including 520 nurses and 544 assistant nurses working in the private and public healthcare sectors from 2016 (baseline). Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

Nursing professionals reported higher threats, lower bullying, lower control, lower social support, and lower cohesion in the public healthcare units compared to the private healthcare units. The prospective analyses showed that job resources in terms of social support and rewards were associated with higher self-rated health and lower burnout. Cohesion was associated with higher self-rated health. Job demands in terms of psychological demands and job efforts were associated with lower self-rated health, higher burnout, and higher sickness absence, while emotional demands were associated with higher burnout.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing professionals' job resources are deficient in public healthcare units. Job resources are associated with positive health outcomes, whereas job demands are associated with negative health outcomes, among nursing professionals. Strengthening job resources among nursing professionals in the private and public healthcare sectors can promote and sustain their work-related health.

The Daily Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Work Engagement of Nurses: A ‘Shortitudinal’ Diary Study

Nurses’ satisfaction and work engagement have been linked to patient outcomes. Nightshift nurses provide healthcare to the population and experience unique challenges in performing their healthcare tasks. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the daily basic needs satisfaction and work engagement of nightshift nurses in accordance with the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs as indicated by the Self-Determination Theory. A quantitative, ‘shortitudinal’ design (diary study; over a few days) with a multi-level research approach using a daily diary survey method was completed by a convenience sample of nurses working the nightshift in a public hospital (n = 33). The results revealed that the daily need for autonomy and need for relatedness did not significantly predict variance in daily work engagement. However, need for competence did significantly predict variance in daily work engagement, and general emotional load explained significant variability in daily need satisfaction of competence. Lastly, general role clarity had a negative impact on the daily variability in work engagement. This study provides healthcare organisations with explanations for variance in nursing performance and suggests possible interventions to address nursing outcomes in accordance with the three basic needs of nightshift nurses in daily activity.

Assessing the psychosocial work environment in the health care setting: translation and psychometric testing of the French and Italian Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaires (COPSOQ) in a large sample of health professionals in Switzerland

Background

Measuring work-related stress in a reliable way is important in the development of appropriate prevention and intervention strategies. Especially in multilingual studies the use of comparable and reliable instruments is crucial. Therefore, the aim of this study was to translate selected scales and single items from the German version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) into French and Italian and psychometrically test them in a sample of health professionals.

Methods

This study used cross-sectional data from health professionals at 163 randomised selected health organisations in Switzerland. Selected COPSOQ items/scales were backwards- and forwards- translated and cross-culturally adapted from German to French and Italian. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients, construct validity with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling as well as comparative fit index.

Results

Responses from 12,754 health professionals were included in the analysis. Of the overall 24 scales, 20 in the German version, 19 in the French version and 17 in the Italian version attained sufficient internal consistency with a threshold of 0.7 for Cronbach’s alpha. Predominantly high factor loadings on scale level are reported (> 0.35), as well as good and satisfactory fit values with RMSEA below 0.1, SRMR below 0.08 and CFI above 0.95. For 10 out of 15 scales, the test for factor invariance revealed a significant difference regarding the psychological constructs of the scales across the language versions.

Conclusions

The psychometric properties verify the underlying theoretical model of the COPSOQ questionnaire, which is to some extent comparable across the three language versions. Of the 10 scales with significant factor variance, four showed large differences, implying that revision is needed for better comparability. Potential cultural issues as well as regional differences may have led to the factor variance and the different reliability scores per scale across language versions. One known influencing factor for regional differences is culture, which should be considered in scale development. Moreover, emerging topics such as digitization should be considered in further development of the questionnaire.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-07924-4.

Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Burnout among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study in a Tertiary Centre

Background:

Healthcare workers have been known to suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues as a result of their profession. Healthcare professionals were already vulnerable to mental health issues prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but now they are even more prone to stress and frustration.

Objective:

The study aimed to assess stress, depression, anxiety, and burnout among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it assessed the relationship between stress, depression, anxiety, burnout, and COVID-19 related stress.

Methods:

A cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlative design was adopted to assess stress, depression, anxiety, and burnout among healthcare workers and determine the relationship among these variables during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results:

The response rate was 87.6% (831 out of 949), the majority of the participants were nurses (87.4%), and 38.4% were working in inpatient settings. The means of COVID-19 related anxiety (17.38 ± 4.95) and burnout (20.16 ± 6.33) were high and tended to be in the upper portion of the total scores. Participants reported moderate to extremely severe levels of stress (26.5%), anxiety (55.8%), and depression (37.2%). Males reported a higher level of stress (16.59 ± 10.21 vs. 13.42 ± 9.98, p = 0.002) and depression (14.97 ± 10.98 vs. 11.42 ± 10.56, p = 0.001). COVID-19 related anxiety was significantly correlated with participants’ professions (p = 0.004). Burnout (p = 0.003) and depression (p = 0.044) were significantly correlated with the participants’ working area. Significant positive correlations were found between stress, depression, anxiety, burnout, and COVID-19 related stress.

Conclusion:

Healthcare workers may experience considerable psychologic distress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic due to providing direct patient care, quarantine, or self-isolation. Healthcare workers who were at high risk of contracting COVID-19 appeared to have psychological distress, burnout, and probably, chronic psychopathology. Frontline staff, especially nurses, were at higher risk of showing higher levels of psychological and mental health issues in the long term.

Levels of Burnout and Its Determinant Factors Among Nurses in Private Hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ethiopia, 2020. A Multi Central Institutional Based Cross Sectional Study

Background

Burnout among nurses is a significant problem in healthcare establishments and has negative implications on clinical outcomes. International studies have shown the prevalence of burnout ranged from 10 to 70%. However, this is unknown among nurses in private hospitals in Addis Ababa. The study was intended to assess the levels of burnout and the associated factors among nurses working in private hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study was used. A probability sampling, specifically, a simple random sampling technique was employed to collect data, and the Maslach burnout inventory human services survey (MBI-HSS) instrument was adapted to measure the levels of burnout. The data obtained was edited manually and entered into EPI-data version 4.6 and then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Logistic regression was used to identify the association between the dependent and independent variables and variables with p < 0.25 on bivariate analysis were taken into multivariate logistic regression, and then variables with p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Result

A total of 385 questionnaires were distributed to participants, but only 368 (96%) of them were collected and included in this study. The majority 56% and 69.8% of them were females and belonged to the age group of 20-29 years, respectively. Two hundred seven (56.5%) of them reported suffering from a high level of burnout. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, night duty shift [AOR = 2.699; 95% CI: (1.043-6.987)], excessive workload [AOR = 6.013; 95% CI: (3.016-11.989)], staff shortage [AOR = 6.198; 95% CI: (3.162-12.147)], persistent interpersonal conflict [AOR = 2.465; 95% CI: (1.225-4.961)], and nurses' poor health status [AOR = 3.4878; 95% CI: (1.815-8.282)] demonstrated a statistical significant association with the professional burnout.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Nurses' burnout in private hospitals of Addis Ababa was highly prevalent. Therefore, ensuring adequate staffing and minimizing the workload of nurse professionals are mandatory to prevent it.

Do type A personality and neuroticism moderate the relationships of occupational stressors, job satisfaction and burnout among Chinese older nurses? A cross-sectional survey

Background

The high prevalence of burnout among nurses produces huge health service losses. Existing literature found that occupational stressors and low levels of job satisfaction were related to burnout, whilst personality traits such as type A personality and neuroticism influenced occupational stressors, job satisfaction, and burnout. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between occupational stressors and burnout among Chinese older nurses, and explore the moderating effects of type A personality and neuroticism on the relationships among occupational stressors, job satisfaction and burnout.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in five provinces and municipalities (mainly in Shandong) in China. A total of 527 female older nurses (age≧40) were included in this study. Structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was employed to investigate the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between occupational stressors and burnout. Multi-group analysis was conducted to explore the moderating effects of type A personality and neuroticism on the relationships among occupational stressors, job satisfaction and burnout.

Results

Both nurses with high type A personality and high neuroticism had higher occupational stressors, higher burnout and lower job satisfaction. Occupational stressors had direct effect (β = 0.29, P = 0.001) and indirect effect mediated by low levels of job satisfaction (β = 0.25, P = 0.001) on burnout. Type A personality had significant moderated effect (P = 0.007) on the relationships among occupational stressors, job satisfaction and burnout, whereas the moderated effect of neuroticism was not significant.

Conclusions

Low levels of job satisfaction mediated the relationship between occupational stressors and burnout among Chinese older nurses, and both the direct and indirect effect of occupational stressors on burnout were moderated by type A personality. Hospital administrators should take specific measures such as transferring older nurses to easier positions to reduce their occupational stress, thereby increasing their job satisfaction and reducing their burnout, which is especially important for the older nurses with high type A personality.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-022-00865-7.

The impact on emotional well-being of being a palliative care volunteer: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

BACKGROUND

Much palliative care provision relies on the support of volunteers. Attention is paid to the risks to professionals providing care, such as stress and burnout, but understanding if this is an issue for volunteers is little understood. It is important to understand the impact their role has on volunteers emotional well-being.

AIM

To explore the experiences of palliative care volunteers and how the role impacted on their emotional well-being.

DESIGN

Interpretative phenomenological analysis, with data collected through semi-structured interviews.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

Volunteers in patient-facing roles within palliative and end-of-life care services in the UK.

RESULTS

Volunteers (n = 10) across three palliative and end-of-life care services. Four themes were developed: (1) it can be challenging; (2) it's where I'm meant to be; (3) managing death; (4) the importance of connection. Challenges included frustrations and questioning themselves. Although difficult at times, volunteers expressed the importance of the role, doing well and that they benefitted too. They also had to manage death and discussed beliefs about life and death, acceptance and managing patients' fears. Connection with the hospice, patients, staff and other volunteers was important, with a need for everyone to feel valued.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there are psychosocial benefits for volunteers in their role, it is important to understand the challenges faced and consider ongoing support to help volunteers manage these challenges. This could be addressed through the consideration of coping mechanisms, further training and reflective practice for volunteers.

Registered Nurses' Experiences With Incivility During the Early Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Multi-State Survey

BACKGROUND

Incivility among workers in the health sector is recognized as an occupational hazard. The COVID-19 outbreak brought sudden and profound changes to many health care settings, many of which have been identified as antecedents to workplace incivility. The purpose of this retrospective study was to explore the experiences of registered nurses with workplace incivility, cyber-incivility, and incivility outside of work during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This mixed-methods study used convenience sampling. Data were collected from June to September 2020 via an online survey, which consisted of both closed- and open-ended questions. Participants were recruited from national nursing organizations and unions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis for open-ended responses.

FINDINGS

A total of 526 nurses' responses were included in the analysis. More than one third experienced greater incivility at work during the COVID-19 outbreak than before the pandemic (37.4%), and almost half (45.7%) said they witnessed more incivility than before the pandemic. Cyber-incivility and incivility outside of work were also issues. Qualitative results indicated that respondents felt they were on edge during this period. Other themes included leadership failure, fractured co-worker relationships, heightened incivility from patients and families, and hostility and ostracism from the general public.

CONCLUSION/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE

Occupational health nurses, nursing leaders, and staff nurses need to work to restore relations that were fractured by incivility during the pandemic. In the future, improved preparedness, including establishing clear channels of communication, may lessen incivility by decreasing role stress and organizational chaos.

Unfair labour practice on staff in primary health care facilities, North West province, South Africa: A qualitative study

Background

Unfair labour practices on staff is a worldwide concern which creates conflicts and disharmony among health workers in the workplace. It is found that, nursing staff members are unfairly treated without valid reasons in primary health care (PHC) facilities and predominantly in the developing countries and South Africa is not an exception.

Objectives

The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of operational managers regarding unfair labour practices on staff by their local health area managers, and describe the perceptions of operational managers towards such treatment.

Method

A qualitative, descriptive, exploratory and contextual research approach was considered appropriate for the study. The population of the study comprised operational managers working in PHC facilities in the North West province, South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to select participants for the study and focus group interviews used to interview 23 operational managers. Ethical measures were applied throughout the study.

Results

The six phases of thematic analysis were used to analyse the data collected for the study. Two themes that emerged are experiences of factors related to unfair labour practices in the PHC facilities and the perceptions regarding how to improve their working conditions. The categories that were found in the first themes were favouritism and discrimination. In the second theme, in-service training and transparency regarding staff training and development emerged. Recommendations comprised, among others, training on the concepts of equality in the workplace, and reinforcement of transparency regarding granting of study leave and attending workshops.

Conclusion

Operational managers in the PHC facilities experienced unfair labour practices as evidenced by favouritism and discrimination.

The relationship between occupational stress and job burnout in coal miners: Interactions between GCCR and SLC6A4 gene polymorphisms and the environment

OBJECTIVE

To understand the current situation of job burnout among coal miners in Xinjian. The effects of occupational stress, GCCR and SLC6A4 gene polymorphisms, and gene-environment interactions on job burnout in coal miners were analyzed. This study provides a scientific basis for formulating health strategies to combat job burnout in the future.

METHODS

The job burnout scale and job content questionnaire (JCQ) were used to investigate the general situation of job burnout among coal miners and its influencing factors. The imLDR^TM multiple SNP typing kit was used to type 300 samples (150 samples from the burnout case group and 150 from the control group). The relationship between the occurrence of job burnout, and the GCCR and SLC6A4 genes was analyzed.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in the rate of burnout among miners of different sexes, ages, working years, shifts, working types, and marital status (P < 0.05). The difference in occupational stress between the different job burnout groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The GG genotype at rs41423247 increased the risk of burnout (OR=3.224, 95% CI:1.425-7.294). Similarly, compared to the TT genotype at rs11080122, the CC genotype increased the susceptibility of job burnout (OR =2.614, 95% CI:1.047-6.527). The results of gene-environment interaction regression analyses showed that the interaction between rs41423247, rs17209237, and occupational stress increased the risk of job burnout (OR = 5.049, 95% CI = 2.371-10.750).

CONCLUSION

In addition to demographic characteristics, occupational stress was also a risk factor for job burnout. The interaction between rs41423247 and rs17209237 of the GCCR gene and occupational stress increased the risk of job burnout.

The mediating role of job satisfaction between psychological capital and work engagement among Chinese nurses during COVID-19 outbreak: A comparative study between nurse specialists and general nurses

BACKGROUND

The outbreak of COVID-19 has become a global public health emergency, causing great psychological distress to nurses. It is unknown whether the pandemic will affect the work engagement of nurses, the relationship between psychological capital, job satisfaction, and work engagement among nurses, and whether there are differences between nurse specialists and general nurses during the pandemic.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to compare psychological capital, job satisfaction, and work engagement among nurse specialists and general nurses during the pandemic, as well as to test the role of job satisfaction as a mediator in the association between psychological capital and work engagement among nurses, and to examine whether the underlying mechanism of the relationship between psychological capital and job satisfaction differs between nurse specialists and general nurses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A convenience sampling was used to assess a sample of 372 nurse specialists and 318 general nurses from nine provincial general hospitals in China to participate in the online survey. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires, including the following tools: self-designed socio-demographic questionnaire, psychological capital scale, job satisfaction scale, and work engagement scale.

RESULTS

Compared with general nurses, the nurse specialists had higher psychological capital, job satisfaction, and work engagement. Job satisfaction partially mediated the positive association between psychological capital and work engagement and the indirect effect was stronger in nurse specialists in comparison to general nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONCLUSION

The findings provide important practical implications for future intervention programs aimed at enhancing nurses' work engagement, which may be realized through strengthening psychological capital and job satisfaction during the pandemic. Moreover, considering the cost-effectiveness of limited health care spending, nursing managers should pay more attention to the continuing professional development of young general nurses.

"Burnout syndrome and association with work stress in nursing staff in public hospital of the northern border of Mexico"

Currently in Mexico, there is a lack of published research assessing nursing burnout in a consistent manner. The pressure of having to provide quality care to low income patients can be a serious factor triggering work stress in the nursing professional. The aim of this study was to establish the connection between burnout, work stress and both demographic and labor factors in nursing staff. A sample of 424 nurses participated in the descriptive and cross-sectional study. Each of the participants answered a questionnaire with two validated instruments, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and the Nursing Stress Scale, both in their Spanish version, as well as a demographic and labor survey of the authors' own creation. A bivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine any significant association between the variables. We found a prevalence of 65.09% in mid-level burnout syndrome among the female sex. Men, on the other hand, featured a high level of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, whereas the female sex showed significantly lower levels of depersonalization. Most of the staff showed acute stress levels. Some factors found in the potential development of burnout were work shift, position, department and gender.

Acceptance and commitment therapy on perceived stress and psychological flexibility of psychiatric nurses: a randomized control trial

Background

Nursing in psychiatric wards is considered a highly stressful career due to the type of patients and the problem of communicating with them. Finding appropriate solutions to overcome this stress can improve the general health of nurses and improve their quality of work. The aim was to investigate the impact of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the perceived stress (PS) and psychological flexibility (PF) of nurses in psychiatric wards.

Methods

A total of 70 nurses of Razi Psychiatric Center of Tehran were randomly selected and divided into two experimental and control groups of 35. In addition to routine interventions, the experimental group was provided with eight 2-h sessions of ACT training, whereas the control group only received routine interventions. Prior to the intervention sessions and a month after the last session, demographic information, PS scale, and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (2nd Edition) were completed in both groups.

Results

There was a significant difference regarding the PS level (P = 0.002) and PF (P = 0.001) in the control and experimental groups; the experimental group showed lower PS and higher PF.

Conclusions

ACT can lead to reduced PS and improved PF, which can be considered as a solution to empower nurses working in psychiatric wards.

Trial registration

This was registered in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) (clinical trial code: IRCT20180506039557N1. Registered 2018-10-31. Retrospectively registered,

https://en.irct.ir/trial/31040

Occurrence of Professional Burnout and Severity of Depressive Symptoms among Cardiac Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nurses with depression are not only likely to suffer themselves, but it may have an impact on their coworkers and potentially the quality of care they provide. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and its association with burnout in cardiac nurses. A group of 400 cardiac nurses (361 women and 39 men) was enrolled. The standardized tools such as Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Patient Health Questionaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used. A high level of professional burnout regarding emotional exhaustion was observed in 53.3% of nurses, high depersonalization in 52.5%, and low personal accomplishment in 72.8%. PHQ-9 and BDI were shown to correlate significantly and positively with all three MBI subscales (p < 0.05). High depressive symptoms and occupational burnout were correlated with depression (p < 0.05). In conclusion, nurses were found to have high levels of depression and professional burnout, which may have resulted in a negative impact on the quality of patient care. Identification of burnout in cardiac nurses is necessary to consider interventions to prevent stress and depression.

A Path Model for Burnout in Community Mental Health Professionals

The purpose of this research is to identify a path model to explain burnout in community mental health professionals based on the compassion satisfaction–compassion fatigue (CS-CF) model. A total of 125 mental health professionals, including nurses, social professionals, and psychologists working in mental health welfare centers in various regions across South Korea were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. A path analysis was conducted using SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 24.0. The results showed that compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue are significant predictors of burnout (β = −0.20, p = 0.011; β = 0.40, p < 0.001, respectively). The indirect pathways associated with burnout included occupational stress (β = 0.21, p = 0.021) and experience with aggressive behavior in the workplace (β = 0.33, p = 0.004) through maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation and compassion satisfaction. The total effect of the variables on burnout via compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction explained 62.5% of burnout among mental health professionals. These findings indicate that providing nursing interventions might reduce compassion fatigue and increase compassion satisfaction to reduce burnout. Furthermore, intervention programs that help to reduce the use of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies are necessary to effectively reduce burnout in mental health professionals.

The nurses' occupational stress components and outcomes, findings from an integrative review

AIM

To identify, evaluate and summarize the components, factors and outcomes of nurses' occupational stress published between 2009-2019.

DESIGN

Integrative literature review.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted on PubMed, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases for articles published in English, between 2009-2019.

RESULTS

The review included 132 studies. Most studies were conducted in the Confucian Asia and Anglo countries, but a growing number of studies were done in other countries. Almost all studies used a quantitative design, and changes in the use of scales indicated an increasing attention to career-related components. Factors were categorized into sociodemographic, work environment and personal resources. Sociodemographic factors were inconsistent across countries. Outcomes were categorized into health status, capability, affective and behavioural responses to work, and organizational performance with generally consistent results. Model validation studies showed the non-linear or non-direct associations between stress and outcomes.

Meta-analysis of nursing-related organizational and psychosocial predictors of sickness absence

BACKGROUND

Nursing is a stressful occupation with high rates of sickness absence. To date, there are no meta-analyses that statistically determined the correlates of sickness absence in this population.

AIMS

This meta-analysis examined organizational and psychosocial predictors of sickness absence among nursing staff.

METHODS

As a registered systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42017071040), which followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, five databases (CINAHL, PROQuest Allied, PROQuest database theses, PsycINFO, PubMed) were reviewed to examine predictors of sickness absence in nurses and nursing assistants between 1990 and 2019. The Population/Intervention/Comparison/Outcome tool was used to support our searches. Effect sizes were analysed using random-effects model.

RESULTS

Following critical appraisals using (i) National Institutes of Health's Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies and (ii) Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology, 21 studies were included. Nursing assistants had greater odds of sickness absence than nurses. Working night shifts, in paediatrics or psychiatric units, experiencing poor mental health, and fatigue, also increased the odds of sickness absence. There was no evidence that job satisfaction or job strain influenced sickness absence; however, job demand increased the likelihood. Finally, work support reduced the odds of lost-time.

CONCLUSIONS

We synthesized three decades of research where several factors influenced sickness absence. Due to limited recent research, the results should be interpreted with caution as some practices may have changed overtime or between countries. Nevertheless, these findings could help in applying preventative strategies to mitigate lost-time in a vulnerable working population.

Job satisfaction among physicians and nurses involved in the management of multiple sclerosis: the role of happiness and meaning at work

OBJECTIVE

Health professionals caring for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) are faced with increasingly complex working conditions that can undermine their job satisfaction and the quality of their healthcare services. The aim of this study was to delve into health professionals' job satisfaction by assessing the predictive role of happiness and meaning at work. Specifically, it was hypothesized that job meaning would moderate the relationship between job happiness and satisfaction.

METHODS

The study hypothesis was tested among 108 healthcare professionals (53 physicians and 55 nurses) working in eight MS centers in Italy. Participants were administered the Eudaimonic and Hedonic Happiness Investigation and the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to test the moderating role of job meaning between job happiness and satisfaction.

RESULTS

A significant interaction effect of job happiness and meaning on job satisfaction was identified for both physicians and nurses. When work was attributed low meaning, participants experiencing high job happiness were more satisfied with their work than those reporting low happiness; by contrast, when work was perceived as highly meaningful, participants' levels of job happiness did not significantly contribute to job satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Focusing on the interplay between job happiness and meaning, findings bring forward practical suggestions for the preservation and promotion of job satisfaction among health professionals working with MS patients. Particularly, they suggest the need to strengthen those job-related aspects that may enhance job meaning, thus providing health professionals with significant reasons to persevere in their work in the face of daily challenges.

Nursing questionnaire on organizational health (QISO) in a short version: A validation study

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK

Nurses underline the importance of implementing organizational and managerial practice through observance of standard procedures and that this system acts as a guarantor for himself and for the patients themselves. On the contrary, an unsafe environment determines high levels of stress among the staff that will inevitably affect users. This study aimed to validate a short version of the QISO, so that it can be more easily applied in the workplace and nurses, already struggling with the multiple activities, can respond quickly, outlining an easy photograph and above all fast of their working environment.

METHODS

The  QISO questionnaire has been administered to nurses who work in the hospital, both surgical, medical and outpatient setting. To the same interviewers were asked to fill in the QISOsv later.

RESULTS

Cronbach's α of the QISOsv is .878. The cut off value was also calculated for the reduced version which turns out to be 2.25. No significant differences existed between the two version in their results.

CONCLUSIONS

The results obtained showed that the nurses interviewed were satisfied with their organizational context.