Burnout in nursing.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research has suggested that organisational change can contribute to stress-related outcomes for workers. Burnout, one such stress-related outcome, has been conceptualised as a multidimensional construct consisting of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment. Many health care organisations have undergone substantial organisational change over the last decade. The purpose of this study was to assess levels of burnout in nurses and to ascertain if there were individual or work characteristics that were associated with this syndrome.

DESIGN: Randomised survey methodology.

SETTING: Registered nurses (Division 1) in Victoria who were ANF members.

SUBJECTS: A random sample of 574 Victorian ANF nurse members.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The assessment of levels of burnout in Victorian ANF nurse members and the identification of individual or work characteristics that may be associated with it.

RESULTS: Victorian ANF nurse members exhibited lower depersonalisation and higher personal accomplishment compared to medical and overall normative data. Increasing age and fewer working hours were associated with lower levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. Working overtime was positively associated with emotional exhaustion however further analyses demonstrated that those who worked overtime voluntarily did not differ from workers not working overtime. However feeling pressured/expected to work overtime was positively associated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation.

CONCLUSION: Victorian ANF nurse members were not experiencing high levels of burnout. However the study highlighted the need for health care management to recognise the importance of working reasonable hours and in particular, to understand the potential detrimental effect that having to work pressured or unexpected overtime has on staff.