Prevalence and Associated Factors of Burnout syndrome among Nurses in Public Hospitals, Southwest Ethiopia

Factors contributing to burnout among nurses at a district hospital in Namibia: A qualitative perspective on nurses

AIM

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the factors that contribute to burnout among nurses.

BACKGROUND

Burnout remains one of the major occupational health problems, posing risks to human health globally. In Namibia, there has been growing public criticism of nurses, stating that they are rude, or act in a manner that does not show professionalism toward their clients. Reasons for such unprofessional behaviour could be linked to negative attitudes on the part of nurses toward their clients, resulting from burnout syndrome.

METHOD

A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was followed as the basis for conducting the study. Using a purposive sampling technique, a sample of 20 nurses was selected from a population of 69 nurses employed in this setting. This sample size was determined by the saturation of data as reflected in repeating themes. Data were collected using individual semi-structured interviews and were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The following three themes emerged: understanding the concept of burnout, factors leading to burnout, and creating a conducive environment as a corrective measure to address burnout and to advance nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

Burnout is indeed real and affects nurses' performance negatively. Burnout has a negative impact on the wellbeing of nurses both physically and emotionally, which has the potential to compromise staff performance, productivity and the quality of patient care. Burnout among nurses is linked to many stressors such as poor staff management, inadequate resources, lack of support and lack of wellness programmes in the workplace.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Strengthening communication between frontline health workers and management by engaging and involving them more in decision-making in matters that concern them is anticipated to address poor staff management, enhance staff performance and improve the quality of patient care. Staff wellness programmes in the workplace are believed to be a good coping mechanism to address work-related pressure and tensions, and they are believed to resolve some work-related stress which may result in increased staff productivity.

Burnout and associated factors among nurses working in public hospitals of Harari region and Dire Dawa administration, eastern Ethiopia. A cross sectional study

BACKGROUND

Burnout is a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, low personal accomplishment and depersonalization experienced by a health professional and it is more common in nurses due to high workload and job stress that is mostly caused by working proximity to patients and taking care of them. Burnout compromises the provision of quality health care. Despite this, there is no information in Ethiopia on burnout among nurses in study area.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the magnitude of burnout and associated factors among nurses working in public hospitals of Harari regional state and Dire Dawa administration, eastern Ethiopia, February 1-29, 2020.

METHODS

Institutional based quantitative cross-sectional study was employed from February 1-29 among 412 randomly selected nurses who have been working in hospitals for the last 6 months. Simple random sampling method was employed and data was collected by self-administered, standardized, reliable and valid, questionnaire (Maslachs Burnout Inventory- Human Services Survey). Data was entered into EpiData Version 3.1 and exported to statistical package for social science version 20 for analysis. All covariate with P-value less than 0.25 in bivariable analysis were candidate for multivariable analysis. Level of statistical significance was declared at p-value < 0.05.

RESULTS

Among 412 nurses taking part in this study, 183(44.4%) of nurses with 95% CI, had experienced burnout. Married marital status [AOR:2.3,95%CI:(1.2-4.3)], poor current health status [AOR:4.8, 95% CI:(1.1-21.4)] and fair current health status [AOR:12, 95% CI:(4.5-32)], working greater than eight hour per-day[AOR:0.52, 95%CI:(0.29-0.92)], intention to leave a job [AOR:0.48,95%CI:(0.2-0.88), being working in emergency room [AOR:0.3,95%CI:(0.1-0.98)] and using a different medication related to work related health problems were factors associated with nurses' burnout.

CONCLUSION

The nurses' burnout in this study is high and it is attributed by marriage, perceiving health status as poor and fair, whereas, having the intention to leave job, being working in emergency room and using a medication in relation to work related health problems reduced risk of developing burnout. So, the concerned bodies should provide trainings which focus on stress copying mechanisms and assertiveness program.