Age, burnout and physical and psychological work ability among nurses

Prevalence and factors associated with compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, burnout in health professionals

BACKGROUND

Constant exposure of health professionals to the pain and suffering of patients can adversely affect their emotional wellbeing.

AIM

The study aimed to investigate the prevalence and the factors affecting the levels of secondary traumatic stress/compassion fatigue (STS/CF), burnout (BO) and compassion satisfaction (CS) of health professionals working in adult and paediatric Intensive Care Units (ICU) as well as in departments treating patients with serious illness in five hospitals in Crete.

STUDY DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional survey with the use of the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL-CSF-R-IV) questionnaire.

METHODS

We enrolled medical, nursing and support staff working in the adult and paediatric ICU, emergency, oncology, haematology and neurosurgical departments, haemodialysis unit and operating theatre.

RESULTS

598 health professionals completed the questionnaire (response rate 73.2%). Significantly increased levels of STS/CF were observed in non - ICU as compared to ICU staff (p = .009) females compared to males (p < .001), those who have previously experienced a traumatic event (p < .004), nurses and support staff compared to doctors (p = .007 and p = .028 respectively), and people not working in a department by choice (p < .001). CS was higher for older professionals, personnel subjected to stress reduction techniques (p < .019) and professionals working with children or mixed adults and children population (p = .009). Rolling schedule and bad working conditions negatively affected CS (p = .02, p = .001). Increased BO levels were associated with younger age (p = .029) and showed a positive correlation with STS/CF (r = .356, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

STS/CF is common in health professionals regardless of their profession, working department or hospital level. Non-ICU staff displayed higher STS/CF levels. Working in a department by choice ameliorates CS, BO and STS/CF.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Health professionals need to be informed about the risks of projecting patients' suffering on themselves. Hospital managers and department heads are responsible to provide appropriate support.

Teamwork Is Associated with Reduced Hospital Staff Burnout at Military Treatment Facilities: Findings from the 2019 Department of Defense Patient Safety Culture Survey

BACKGROUND

A National Academy of Medicine report emphasizes the importance of creating positive work environments to address the negative effects of burnout on health care workers. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the scope of burnout among military hospital personnel and explore the relationship between teamwork, burnout, and patient safety culture.

METHODS

A logistic regression analysis investigated the relationship between teamwork and burnout using the 2019 US Department of Defense Patient Safety Culture Survey data from 15,838 military hospital workers. Additional regressions investigated teamwork/burnout relationships among individual work areas and staff positions.

RESULTS

About one third of respondents (34.4%) reported experiencing burnout. Work areas most likely to report burnout included many different/other work areas (43.4%), pharmacy (41.8%), and labor and delivery/obstetrics (41.8%). Staff positions most likely to report burnout included pharmacy/pharmacists (39.7%), assistants/technicians/therapists (38.1%), and nurses/nursing (37.6%). Analysis revealed an association between lower burnout and high teamwork, both within (odds ratio [OR] 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48-0.60) and across (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.57-0.72) units. Within-unit teamwork was associated with reduced odds of burnout across almost all work areas and staff positions, with the greatest odds reduction among personnel working in emergency (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.14-0.43), radiology (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.20-0.83), and labor and delivery/obstetrics (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.27-0.65); and physicians/medical staff (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.28-0.69), other staff positions (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.28-0.81), and assistants/technicians/therapists (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.46-0.73).

CONCLUSION

Effective teamwork may reduce burnout in hospital workers. This association between teamwork (particularly teamwork within units) and burnout was found in all work areas, even in those with the highest levels of self-reported workplace chaos. Greater adoption of workplace interventions focused on improving teamwork, such as TeamSTEPPS, is warranted.

Influencing factors on the health of nurses-a regression analysis considering individual and organizational determinants in Germany

BACKGROUND

The care sector is characterized by high absenteeism of nursing care employees due to illness. Organizational determinants that can affect the mental health of nurses are known. Although nurses are confronted with different framework conditions in different care settings, there is a lack of comparative data in Germany.

METHODS

The purpose of this study was to examined the relationship between work demands and employee health in different care settings. This cross-sectional survey was conducted between June and October 2021 in four acute care hospitals, seven inpatient care facilities, and five outpatient care services in Germany. 528 nursing care employees (acute care hospitals n = 234; inpatient care facilities n = 152; outpatient care services n = 142) participated in the survey (participation rate: 22.6%-27.9%). For each care setting, data was collected via questionnaire on individual determinants (gender, age, profession, working time), organizational work demands (quantitative workload, qualitative workload, organization of work, social work climate, after work situation, verbal violence, threats, physical violence) and employee health (subjective health status and work ability). Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regressions were performed.

RESULTS

Increasing age (OR = 0.650, 95% CI = 0.424-0.996) as an individual determinant and organization of work (OR = 0.595, CI = 0.362-0.978) as an organizational determinant were negatively associated with subjective health. Furthermore, age (OR = 0.555, 95% CI = 0.353-0.875), a demanding organization of work (OR = 0.520, CI = 0.315-0.858), increasing quantitative workloads (OR = 0.565, CI = 0.343-0.930) and a poorer perceived social work climate (OR = 0.610, CI = 0.376-0.991) were associated with lower work ability.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the study results, health programs should target both individual and organizational factors. The findings seem to support the importance to include nursing care employees in the planning process, as it can have an impact on their health.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The project was registered in the German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS00024961, 09/04/2021).

Status and related factors of burnout among palliative nurses in China: a cross-sectional study

Background

Burnout occurs frequently in nurses and seems more common in nurses providing palliative care. However, to our knowledge, there is a lack of understanding regarding the factors influencing burnout among palliative nurses in China.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was conducted. A total of 331 palliative nurses from 25 hospitals participated in this study. Anonymous data were collected through a self-designed social-demographic questionnaire, the Nursing Burnout Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire. Independent sample t tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regressions were performed to identify the related factors of the three dimensions of burnout.

Results

In the results of multiple linear regression, resilience, health condition, coping style, and pessimistic personality were common related factors; in addition, end-of-life care training, social support, and income satisfaction were statistically significantly associated with burnout. These factors could explain 38.6%, 27.8%, and 34.5% of the total variance in emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, respectively.

Conclusions

The findings of this study help policy makers and nurse managers better understand burnout among palliative nurses in China. The results highlighted the importance of implementing culture-oriented training programs, providing perceived organizational support, and building a reasonable salary system to decrease burnout among palliative nurses, increase the quality of nursing and promote the development of Chinese palliative care.

Work Conditions of Italian Nurses and Their Related Risk Factors: A Cohort Investigatory Study

(1) Background: Nursing is a satisfying employment pathway, as nurses preserve lives, but it is also considered one of the most stressful care professions. Nursing is a lifesaving and highly satisfying profession, yet it is considered one of the most stressful occupations. This study aimed to assess differences in anxiety, depression and stress states among nurses according to gender, work history, shift and body mass index (BMI) characteristics. (2) Methods: An online questionnaire was addressed to all Italian nurses during May 2022, investigating anxiety, depression and stress conditions according to the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) and sampling characteristics, such as sex, work experience, shift and BMI values. (3) Results: A total of 408 Italian nurses answered the questionnaire. Significant differences between the following were reported: anxiety levels and work experience, since nurses employed over 6 years reported higher anxiety levels than their younger colleagues (p = 0.035); depression levels and sex (p = 0.017), as females reported higher depression levels than males; and also between depression levels and BMI levels (p = 0.003), as 5.90% of overweight and 2.50% of obese participants reported extremely severe depression. By considering stress levels according to sampling characteristics, significant differences were registered according to BMI levels (p < 0.001), as overweight subjects reported higher stress levels (7.40%) than the other subgroups. Finally, significant associations were recorded between anxiety, depression and stress conditions with sex, work experience, shift and BMI. (4) Conclusions: The data were in agreement with the current literature, indicating that nurses might take care not only of their patients but also of themselves, in both the physical and mental aspects.

Impact of sense of coherence on work ability: A cross-sectional study among Croatian nurses

Introduction

Aimed at preparing the basis for planning evidence-based public health measures for preservation/ improvement of nurses’ work ability (WA), the objective was to assess the relationship between WA and sense of coherence (SOC).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 among 713 nurses in Croatia. The association between poor WA index (PWAI) and SOC score (SOCS), adjusted for possible confounders, was determined by binary logistic regression analysis.

Results

The results of univariate logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant negative association between SOCS and PWAI (OR=0.977, 95% CI 0.968 – 0.986, p<0.001). The results of multivariate logistic analysis showed an even stronger statistically significant negative association between SOCS and PWAI (OR=0.966, 95% CI 0.954 – 0.977, p<0.001) when adjusted for confounders.

Conclusions

The present study suggested SOC as an important health promoting resource of nurses which might offer protection regarding work-related stress. Weak SOC could be an important explanatory factor of poor WA. Accordingly, improving SOC by implementing health promotion measures in nurses’ workplace could be an important way to increase the WA among nurses.

Prevalence of Pain and Its Risk Factors Among ICU Personnel in Tertiary Hospital in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Although pain is commonly observed among medical staff, studies on pain among intensive care unit personnel are uncommon, especially intensive care unit (ICU) doctors and workers. Moreover, few studies have focused on the prevalence of pain and the associated factors.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of pain among ICU personnel (including doctors, nurses and workers) and explore the risk factors for their pain.

Methods

We conducted an online survey that included sociodemographic and work-related items and questions about pain, ergonomics, and psychological factors. We used the short version of the validated Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS-21) to assess the relationship between pain and mental disorders. All ICU personnel at West China Hospital of Sichuan University participated in this study.

Results

A total of 356 ICU personnel were included in the final analysis. The prevalence of pain was 72.2% among ICU nurses, 64.4% among ICU doctors and 52.9% among ICU workers. The most frequent location of pain was the lower back among nurses (65.9%) and workers (47.1%) and the neck among doctors (49.1%). The factors contributing to pain among ICU personnel were bending or twisting the neck, high levels of psychological fatigue, low self-perceived health status, female sex and high body mass index (BMI). Moreover, participants with pain indicated significantly higher depression (p ≤ 0.001), anxiety (p ≤ 0.001), and stress levels (p = 0.002) than those without pain.

Conclusion

This study indicates that ICU personnel exhibit a high prevalence of pain. Many factors, especially psychosocial and ergonomic factors, contribute to pain levels among ICU personnel and the poorer mental health levels observed in those experiencing pain. Therefore, disease prevention and health promotion measures are needed to protect the health of ICU personnel.

Long Work Hours, Overtime, and Worker Health Impairment: A Cross-Sectional Study among Stone, Sand, and Gravel Mine Workers

Background: Research has shown that long work hours and overtime are associated with health impairment, including stress, burnout, and overall health. However, this has not been thoroughly assessed among stone, sand, and gravel mine workers. As such, this study examined whether significant differences in stress, burnout, and overall health existed among workers that worked different hours each week. Methods: ANOVA analyses were completed for the outcome variables (stress, burnout, and health status). Each analysis included three categorical independent variables: age, sex, and work hours. Age and sex were control variables. BMI was added to the health status analysis as an additional control variable. Results: There were significant differences between work hour groups for all three outcomes. Post hoc analyses determined that workers working >60 h/week had more stress, more burnout, and lower health. Differences were not found between age or sex. There were no differences in health status for different BMI groups, but the interaction of BMI and work hours was significant. Conclusions: Working more than 60 h per week was problematic. Mine and safety administrators should enact programs to protect and promote worker health, particularly among those working long hours, especially if more than 60 h per week.

Losing compassion for patients? The implications of COVID-19 on compassion fatigue and event-related post-traumatic stress disorder in nurses

Purpose

The authors investigated a psychological process that links characteristics of events related to the coronavirus disease (2019) COVID-19 pandemic (i.e. perceived novelty, disruptiveness and criticality) to compassion fatigue [(CF), a form of caregiver burnout] and subsequent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in nurses.

Design/methodology/approach

Administering two online surveys (October and November 2020) resulted in matched data from 175 nurses responsible for patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings

Perceived disruptiveness and criticality of COVID-19 events were positively associated with nurses' CF, which also mediated those characteristics' effects on PTSD instigated by COVID-19. Contrary to the authors' hypothesis, the perceived novelty of COVID-19 events was not significantly associated with CF nor was the indirect effect of perceived novelty on PTSD mediated by CF.

Originality/value

The authors extend event system theory by investigating the psychological processes linking event features and resultant outcomes while providing practical implications on preparations for future unexpected and potentially life-altering events.

The relationship between occupational stress, mental health and work ability of coal chemical workers in Xinjiang

OBJECTIVE

To understand the current working ability of coal chemical workers in Xinjiang, and analyze the impact of occupational stress, mental disorders, and their interaction on work ability. To provide a scientific basis for improving the working ability and quality of life of coal chemical workers.

METHODS

In this study, a stratified random sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey of 1,400 workers in six coal mining enterprises from June to December 2019. The Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (ERI), the Symptoms Checklist 90 (SCL-90), and the Work Ability Index Scale (WAI) were used to evaluate the level of occupational stress, mental disorders, and the ability to work as coal chemical workers.

RESULTS

The results showed that WAI scores had statistically significant differences between gender, age, length of service, shift, education, marital status, and monthly income (P < 0.05). The ability to work and its dimensions were inversely correlated with occupational stress, and mental disorders (P < 0.001). Occupational stress and mental disorders are risk factors affecting the ability to work. Workers with high occupational stress^* mental disorders (OR = 10.666, 95% CI: 6.443-17.658) are 10.666 times more likely to be at risk for developing poor work ability than low occupational stress^* no mental disorders. Structural equation models show that occupational stress and mental health conditions had a direct impact on work ability, and mental health conditions were the mediators of the relationship between occupational stress and work ability.

CONCLUSION

Occupational stress, mental disorders, and their interaction are risk factors affecting the ability of coal chemical workers to work. Occupational stress can indirectly affect the ability to work through mental health conditions.

Contribution to validation of the Italian version of work ability personal radar

BACKGROUND

Work ability (WA) is an important construct in the occupational health field. Over the years, various WA detection tools have been developed, and a new one is: Work Ability Personal Radar (WA-PR), capable of investigating all the dimensions that define the complexity of WA. The WA-PR was born in the Finnish context, however recently it has also been validated elsewhere. In light of literature on WA assessment tools, our goal is to contribute to the validation of the WA-PR in the Italian context.

METHODS

Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire administered to 405 workers in the chemical industrial sector.

RESULTS

Results show that the WA-PR correlate with WAI and with other constructs conceptually related to work ability: need for recovery, stress and general health.

CONCLUSIONS

Data analysis confirms that the WA-PR is a useful and reliable tool for evaluating work ability in Italian context.

The Seniority Swoop: Young Nurse Burnout, Violence, and Turnover Intention in an 11-Hospital Sample

We sought to understand whether nurses aged 20 to 29 years burnout and intend to turnover in higher proportions than more senior nurses, and if so, why. Guided by Maslow's hierarchy, we used brief inventories to assess hospital-based bedside nurses at 11 hospitals in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island (n = 3549/9520) prior to the pandemic. In a second study, we compared scheduling policies, bargaining, and Magnet status to see whether these variables predicted worsened burnout rates in young nurses. In a pattern that appears like a swooping line when graphed, nurses aged 20 to 29 years reported higher burnout and intention to leave than more senior nurses. They also reported being punched, bitten, spit on, kicked, or otherwise physically struck more often, worked more long shifts, worked more nights, and reported more dehydration and poorer sleep. Notably, age alone was not a strong predictor of turnover until burnout was added to the model, indicating that there is no inherent millennial trait resulting in higher turnover. Instead, preventing and addressing burnout is key to retention. When comparing hospital characteristics, only scheduling perks for senior nurses predicted the seniority swoop pattern. We offer 9 recommendations to reduce burnout and turnover in young nurses.

Areas of Work Life as Predictors of Occupational Burnout of Nurses and Doctors in Operating Theaters in Poland—Multicenter Studies

Introduction: Researchers’ interest in occupational burnout results primarily from the dangerous and extensive consequences of this phenomenon. The aim of the study was to analyze the level of occupational burnout among nurses and doctors in operating theaters. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey study conducted on 325 nurses and doctors of seven hospitals in Poland. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Areas of Worklife Survey (AWS) by Michael Leiter and Christina Maslach. Results: The mean values for the level of occupational burnout for the entire sample according to the scale from the Maslach Burnout Inventory by C. Maslach amounted to 14.35 for emotional exhaustion, 8.56 for depersonalization, and 11.90 for personal accomplishment; when compared to reference levels, they classified emotional exhaustion at a low level, depersonalization at an average level, and personal accomplishment at a high level of burnout. Areas of work life are predictors of occupational burnout. The analysis showed a relationship between three of the six variables. As the workload increased, so did the level of burnout among participants, and the categories of honesty and values. Conclusions: The conducted research has shown that occupational burnout among nurses and doctors in operating theaters occurs in all dimensions of this phenomenon (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, job satisfaction). It was also shown that the areas of work life (workload, control, community, rewards, fairness, values) are predictors of occupational burnout among the respondents. This article shows how important the problem of burnout among operating theater medical staff is. Perhaps it will allow nurses and doctors to recognize this syndrome and encourage them make changes to their work to prevent burnout.

Passion in the pit: the effects of harmonious and obsessive passion on nurse burnout

Purpose

Anecdotal and survey reports indicate that nurses are suffering increased stress and burnout due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, this study investigated two forms of passion, harmonious and obsessive passion, as resources that may indirectly predict two forms of burnout, disengagement and exhaustion, through the mediator of job stress.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors tested their hypotheses in a mediation model using a sample of nurses surveyed at three timepoints during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings

As hypothesized, harmonious passion indirectly decreased disengagement and exhaustion by decreasing job stress. Contrary to authors’ hypotheses, obsessive passion also indirectly decreased (rather than increased, as hypothesized) both disengagement and exhaustion by decreasing job stress. Harmonious, but not obsessive, passion, was significantly negatively directly related to disengagement and exhaustion.

Research limitations/implications

Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have impacted nurses’ work environments and their willingness to respond.

Originality/value

This study extends conservation of resources theory to conceptualize harmonious and obsessive passion as resources with differing outcomes based on their contrasting identity internalization, per the Dualistic Model of Passion. This study also operationalizes burnout more comprehensively by including cognitive and physical exhaustion along with emotional exhaustion, as well as disengagement. By collecting responses at three timepoints, this study provides a more robust test of causality than previous work examining passion and burnout.

Burdens, resources, health and wellbeing of nurses working in general and specialised palliative care in Germany - results of a nationwide cross-sectional survey study

BACKGROUND

Palliative care in Germany is divided into general (GPC) and specialised palliative care (SPC). Although palliative care will become more important in the care sector in future, there is a large knowledge gab, especially with regard to GPC. The aim of this study was to identify and compare the burdens, resources, health and wellbeing of nurses working in GPC and SPC. Such information will be helpful for developing prevention programs in order to reduce burdens and to strengthen resources of nurses.

METHODS

In 2017, a nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted. In total, 437 nurses in GPC and 1316 nurses in SPC completed a questionnaire containing parts of standardised instruments, which included parts of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), the Resilience Scale (RS-13) Questionnaire, a single question about back pain from the health survey conducted by the Robert Koch Institute as well as self-developed questions. The differences in the variables between GPC and SPC nurses were compared.

RESULTS

SPC nurses reported higher emotional demands as well as higher burdens due to nursing care and the care of relatives while GPC nurses stated higher quantitative demands, i.e. higher workload. SPC nurses more often reported organisational and social resources that were helpful in dealing with the demands of their work. Regarding health, GPC nurses stated a poorer health status and reported chronic back pain as well as a major depressive disorder more frequently than SPC nurses. Furthermore, GPC nurses reported a higher intention to leave the profession compared to SPC nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the present study indicate that SPC could be reviewed as the best practice example for nursing care in Germany. The results may be used for developing target group specific prevention programs for improving health and wellbeing of nurses taking the differences between GPC and SPC into account. Finally, interventional and longitudinal studies should be conducted in future to determine causality in the relationship of burdens, resources, health and wellbeing.

Burnout and quality of life among nurses working in selected mental health institutions in South West Nigeria

Background

Burnout remains a huge public health problem among nurses.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive study assessed 259 nurses from two Neuropsychiatric hospitals in Nigeria. Data was collected using a sociodemographic/ job related questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Short-Form health survey (SF-12). The associations between sociodemographic characteristic and burnout was anaysed using Chi square test, between burnout and quality of life using Spearman correlation statistics. Predictors of burnout were determined using binary regression analysis

Results

Prevalence of emotional exhaustion (EE) was 44.4%, depersonalization (DEP) 31.7% and reduced personal accomplishment was 98.8%. Predictors of EE were: poor funding from management, OR = 0.38 (95% CI 0.15–0.95) and role conflict, OR = 2.44 (95% CI 1.03–5.78), while the predictors of DEP, were age group, 31–40 years, OR = 0.37 (95% CI 0.18–0.77), male gender, OR = 2.55 (95% CI 1.40–4.65), role conflict, OR = 6.53 (95% CI 0.88–7.81) and working at more urban city, OR = 3.07 (95% CI 1.54–6.16). The mean total Quality of life (QOL) scores were significantly higher among respondents who had no EE and DEP p < 0.001.

Conclusion

Burnout is high among mental health nurses and is associated with poor quality of life.

Results of survey on perception of patient safety culture among emergency nurses in Jordan: Influence of burnout, job satisfaction, turnover intention, and workload

BACKGROUND

Patient safety culture is an essential factor in the decreasing of medical errors and development of the institutions. This study was conducted to determine to what extent the selected variables, including age, weekly working hours, years of experience, burnout, turnover intention, workload, and job satisfaction, predict perceived patient safety culture among emergency nurses in Jordanian hospitals.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design with convenience sampling approach was used. A total of 157 emergency nurses from governmental and public hospitals were participated in the study and completed the study's survey: Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (PSC), Copenhagen Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (CBI-SS), NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), Nursing Workplace Satisfaction Questionnaire (NWSQ) and turnover intention scale (TIS).

RESULTS

The results showed that there was a negative relationship found between nurses' age and PSC perception (r=-.166, P=.039), personal burnout and PSC (r=-.160, P=.048), and there was also a negative relationship between turnover intentions and perceived PSC (r=-.334, P=.000). The results from the regression model indicated that turnover intentions, reporting patient safety events, and the number of events reported predicted PSC. The results showed that R²=.29, adjusted R²=.287, F(6,141)=9.45, P<0.01.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggests that nurses' managers may pay attention to decreasing burnout and analyze turnover intention among nurses in order to improve the culture of patient safety.

Mindful Self-Care Practice of Nurses in Acute Care: A Multisite Cross-Sectional Survey

Consistent mindful self-care practices mitigate professional burnout and improve resilience to enable nurses provide safe and effective patient care. This study determined the levels and the influencing factors of mindful self-care of nurses in acute care settings. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 258 nurses from seven acute care hospitals using the 36-item Mindful Self-Care Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlation analyses. Nurses' mindful self-care scores were low, and female nurses had higher levels of mindful self-care than male nurses. Statistically significant negative correlations were found between nurses' mindful self-care levels and their age and clinical experience. Nurses' engagement in mindful self-care is low which may negatively affect their interactions with and care of patients and their families. Therefore, a need exists to develop and evaluate more clinical-based personal and organizational strategies to enhance the mindful self-care practices of nurses.

Burnout Syndrome in Paediatric Nurses: A Multi-Centre Study

Background: Burnout syndrome is an increasingly prevalent problem, characterised by emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (D), and low personal accomplishment (PA), feelings that appear with prolonged exposure to stress-inducing situations. The syndrome alters physical well-being and endangers the quality of services provided. Among nurses working in the paediatric area, the association between burnout and the corresponding risk profile has received little research attention, despite the highly stressful nature of this work. Materials and Methods: The study population was composed of 95 nurses working in four hospitals in the province of Granada. Data were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the NEO Personality Inventory, and the Educational-Clinical Questionnaire: Anxiety and Depression. Results: According to the results obtained, 22.0% of the nurses working in the paediatric area present high levels of EE, 18.5% present high levels of D, and 39.6% had feelings of low PA. These burnout levels do not depend on sociodemographic or labour variables, but the three domains of the syndrome are related to the psychological factors analysed. Conclusions: Among the nurses who participated in this study, 38.6% presented high levels of burnout, especially regarding feelings of low personal accomplishment. Personality factors play an important role in the development of this syndrome. This study shows the impact of burnout in paediatric nurses as well as the risk factors, providing information for the development of strategies to prevent it.

Slower information processing speed is associated with persistent burnout symptoms but not depression symptoms in nursing workers

Introduction: Burnout and depression both occur with chronic work-related stress, and cognitive deficits have been found when symptom severity results in work disability. Less is known about cognitive deficits associated with milder symptoms among active workers, and few studies have examined whether cognitive deficits predict persistent burnout and depression symptoms. The goal of this study was to examine the association of information processing speed and executive function performance to burnout and depression symptoms at baseline and 12-month follow-up in a sample of actively working individuals (N = 372).Method: The design was prospective with laboratory cognitive data at baseline, and burnout and depressive symptoms assessed at baseline and monthly follow-ups. Information processing speed and executive functions were assessed in a task-switching paradigm, including single-task reaction time (RT), switching costs, and mixing costs. Burnout was assessed with the Exhaustion subscale of the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.Results: Slower RT was modestly associated with higher levels of burnout symptoms both cross-sectionally and prospectively, but switching costs and mixing costs were not associated with burnout symptoms. None of the cognitive measures were associated with depression symptoms cross-sectionally or prospectively.Conclusions: Despite statistically significant findings of slowed RT in acute exhaustion-related burnout, the proportion of variance accounted for in the models was small and did not predict clinically significant levels of distress. The absence of statistically significant findings for depression symptoms suggests the cognitive profile associated with the exhaustion dimension of burnout may be distinct from that of depression, which reflects a more heterogeneous symptomatology. Our data suggest the clinical impact of burnout symptoms on actively working individuals is marginal; nonetheless, it is important to screen and intervene on burnout and depression symptoms in the workplace because they can lead to other forms of work impairment.

Psychosocial Risks, Work Engagement, and Job Satisfaction of Nurses During COVID-19 Pandemic

Context: COVID-19 pandemic is a serious health emergency that has affected countries all over the world. Health emergencies are a critical psychosocial risk factor for nurses. In general, psychosocial risks constitute serious problems as they impact workers' health, productivity, and efficiency. Despite their importance, few studies analyze nurses' psychosocial risks during a health emergency caused by a pandemic or analyze their perception of the emergency and its relation to such risks. Objectives: To analyze the perception of COVID-19 by nurses, especially about measures, resources, and impact on their daily work. Also, to analyze these professionals' psychosocial risks and the relationship between perception of COVID-19 and these risks. Methods: A descriptive correlational study was performed in a convenience sample of 92 nurses from two public hospitals in the Valencian Community (Spain), (74 women, 79.1%), aged 24-63 (M = 43.37, SD = 11.58). Data were collected via an online self-completed questionnaire during the rise of the pandemic from March 29 to April 8, when the number of infections went from 78,797 to 146,690. Results: The measures and resources available about COVID-19 are relatively low, and the impact on their work is high. Similarly, the most prominent psychosocial risks appear to be emotional work and workload. In contrast, nurses' work engagement is medium, and their satisfaction is high. Finally, there seems to be a negative and significant relationship between the information available to nurses, the measures implemented, and resources with some of their psychosocial risks, and a positive one with job satisfaction and work engagement. There is also a positive and significant relationship only between the impact of COVID-19 and their work inequality, but not for other risks. Conclusions: The resources, measures, and information can be a protective factor facing nurses' psychosocial risks, especially during a pandemic. Studying the relationships between psychosocial risk and perception of a health emergency would be relevant and fundamental to protecting and caring for nurses, health professionals, and society.

Factors affecting work ability index among polish nurses working in hospitals - A prospective observational survey

AIMS

To assess the ability to work of Polish nurses by age groups.

BACKGROUND

The ability to work is widely discussed in the literature in the context of nurses' productivity; thus, it is necessary to identify the ability to work when facing an increasing demand for services.

METHODS

The observational study involved 349 professionally active nurses aged 46.9 ± 9.7 years, with a length of service of 23.5 ± 9.6 years. The Work Ability Index (WAI) was used to assess the nurses' ability to work.

RESULTS

The ability to work decreases with age (r_s  = -0.324, p < .000) and with seniority (r_s  = -0.257; p < .000). Nurses with higher education presented higher Work Ability Index scores. Also, the age (B = -0.25, p < .001), work seniority (B = -0.19, p < .001) and education (masters' degree: B = 1.41, p = .012; ref. secondary) affect work ability.

CONCLUSIONS

The ageing process and seniority of nurses negatively affect their ability to work. A lack of programmes to maintain physical condition for nurses can result in a shortage of staff.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Programmes can be developed to create or improve healthy working environments to increase productivity.

The Nursing Stress Scale-Spanish Version: An Update to Its Psychometric Properties and Validation of a Short-form Version in Acute Care Hospital Settings

Stressful working conditions are correlated with a negative impact on the well-being of nurses, job satisfaction, quality of patient care and the health of the staff. The Nursing Stress Scale (NSS) has been shown to be a valid and reliable instrument to assess occupational stressors among nurses. This study updates the psychometric properties of the “NSS-Spanish version” and validates a short-form version. A cross-sectional design was carried out for this study. A reliability analysis and a confirmatory factor analysis and an exploratory factor analysis were undertaken. Items were systematically identified for reduction using statistical and theoretical analysis. Correlation testing and criterion validity confirmed scale equivalence. A total of 2195 Registered Nurses and 1914 Licensed Practical Nurses were enrolled. The original 34-item scale obtained a good internal consistency but an unsatisfactory confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. The short-form Nursing Stress Scale (11-items) obtained a good internal consistency for Registered Nurses (α = 0.83) and for Licensed Practical Nurses (α = 0.79). Both Nursing Stress Scales obtained a strong correlation for Registered Nurses (rho = 0.904) and for Licensed Practical Nurses (rho = 0.888). The 11-item version of the Nursing Stress Scale is a valid and reliable scale to assess stress perception among Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. Its short-form nature improves the psychometric properties and the feasibility of the tool.

Psychological distress, burnout, job satisfaction and intention to quit among primary healthcare nurses

Addressing the worldwide challenge of shortage of nurses contributes to the national and international efforts to enhance the health and well-being of the global population. The main aim of this research is to investigate the level and the relationship between psychological distress, burnout, job satisfaction and intention to quit among primary healthcare nurses in public and private practices while accounting for their socio-demographic characteristics. This was a cross sectional study of 173 primary health care nurses. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and General Health Questionairre-12 were used to assess burnout and psychological distress among nursing staff. High psychological distress was present in 21.38% of all respondents and was significantly related to intention to quit. The results indicated a mean job satisfaction score of 3.54 with higher job satisfaction among private vs. public sector nurses. Furthermore, nurses with higher burnout levels and lower job satisfaction were more likely to consider leaving the profession compared with those with lower burnout and higher job satisfaction. The study provides valuable insight for managers of general healthcare practice and healthcare policy makers in effectively managing and retaining primary healthcare nurses.

Mobbing, subjective perception, demographic factors, and prevalence of burnout syndrome in nurses

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of burnout syndrome and mobbing, to determine their mutual relationship, and to identify predictors related to the probability of occurrence of burnout syndrome in general nurses working in hospitals.

METHODS

The work is designed as a cross-sectional study. The research took place in 2018 and the sample included 250 general nurses. Statistical evaluation was performed by means of descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and logistic regression. Three standardized questionnaires were used - Maslach Burnout Inventory, Negative Questionnaire Act and SUPSO.

RESULTS

The research revealed burnout syndrome in the area of emotional exhaustion in 28.8% of nurses, of depersonalization in 15.2%, and in the area of personal accomplishment in 38.4%. 51.2% of nurses never experienced mobbing at workplace, one act of mobbing over the last six months was reported by 17.6% of respondents, two and more acts by 31.2%. Logistic regression revealed that the probability of occurrence of burnout syndrome in the area of emotional exhaustion is influenced by age, sex and by the size of an urban area, it is increased by anxiety and depression. In the area of depersonalization the probability of incidence increases with impulsiveness and dejection. In the area of personal accomplishment the probability of burnout syndrome incidence is increased by the lack of psychological wellbeing and activeness, by restlessness and impulsiveness. Though there were found significant relationships between all component parts of burnout syndrome and mobbing, multivariate logistic regression did not show the impact of any component part of mobbing on the probability of occurrence of burnout syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

The research revealed that the probability of burnout syndrome incidence is related to socio-demographic factors as well as to an individual's psychological states and perceptions. Direct impact of mobbing on the probability of burnout syndrome incidence was inconclusive.

Stay at Home and Teach: A Comparative Study of Psychosocial Risks Between Spain and Mexico During the Pandemic

Context:

The emergency situation caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected different facets of society. Although much of the attention is focused on the health sector, other sectors such as education have also experienced profound transformations and impacts. This sector is usually highly affected by psychosocial risks, and this could be aggravated during the current health emergency. Psychosocial risks may cause health problems, lack of motivation, and a decrease of effectiveness at work, which in turn affect the quality of teaching. Despite their importance, there are hardly any studies that analyze psychosocial risks of non-university teachers during a health emergency such as that caused by COVID-19.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to analyze the perception of COVID-19 and the psychosocial risks of non-university teachers comparing Spain and Mexico during the state of alarm caused by COVID-19.

Methods

Data were collected from 421 non-university teachers (80.2% women; 56.3% from Mexico, 43.7% from Spain) aged 24–60 (M = 39.32, SD = 10.21) via a self-completed questionnaire during the pandemic from March to April 2020.

Results

Data analysis suggests that inequity is the most important risk, followed by work overload. Teachers appear to be moderately satisfied with the information on COVID-19 and the measures taken, while their satisfaction with the available resources is lower. When comparing the two countries, significant differences can be observed in every risk considered except for social support, with lower levels in Mexican teachers compared to Spanish ones. In the case of the perception of COVID-19 and its impact, the perception in general of levels of information, measures, and resources is better among Mexican teachers than among Spanish ones, who present higher scores of the impact of the health emergency.

Conclusion

The results underline the importance of the professional’s perception of resources during a health emergency, which could prevent to some extent burnout and possible alterations associated with it. The measures taken by the responsible entities and the provision of information do affect teachers not only directly but also indirectly by making them more vulnerable to psychosocial risks that could affect their health and professional performance, thus affecting students as well.

Investigation of Burnout, its Associated Factors and its Effect on the Quality of Life of Critical Care Nurses Working in Buraydah Central Hospital at Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

Background:

Burnout is a grave problem for critical care workers because they are exposed to prolonged psychosocial stressors, including advanced technology, high responsibilities and great patient acuity. The aim of this study was to investigate burnout, its associated factors and its effect on self-care among critical care nurses.

Methods:

A descriptive correlational research design was carried out with 170 critical care nurses at Buraydah Central Hospital at Qassim Region in Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire including socio-demographic and work-related characteristics was used, as well as the Short Form SF12 to assess the quality of life, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to assess the level of burnout.

Results:

The three Maslach Burnout Inventory subscales, high emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, low personal accomplishment and moderate total burnout score were used. The quality of life measure (sF12) showed moderate levels of physical, mental component score and total score of quality for the critical care nurses. Factors associated with burnout include age, nationality, and years of experience and the wish to change department showed statistical significance. Burnout and quality of life score had a significant negative correlation.

Conclusion:

Age, nationality, years of experience and wish to change department are all significantly associated with burnout. Finally, burnout and quality of life score of these critical care nurses had a negative significant correlation.

Walking at work: Maximum gait speed is related to work ability in hospital nursing staff

OBJECTIVES

Like the concept of work ability in occupational health, gait speed is a measure of general fitness and can predict functional decline and morbidity. This is especially important when our care-takers, i.e. nurses, show decline in fitness and become care-receivers. The study aims to describe the demographics of hospital nurses in the context of gait speed and work ability as well as to determine the association between them.

METHODS

Three-hundred and twelve inpatient nurses and nursing assistants were sampled from a level 1 trauma and teaching hospital from several service lines and acuity levels. Spearman correlation tests were utilized to determine the relationship of gait speed and ratings of item 1 on the Work Ability Index (WAI) as well as Cochran-Armitage test for linear trend of gait speed.

RESULTS

Maximum gait speed has a significant positive association with work ability with a Rho coefficient of 0.217 (P < .0001). Additionally, the linear trend test of gait speed tertiles was significant (P < .001) for work ability categories of Moderate to Poor (0-7) and Good to Excellent (8-10).

CONCLUSIONS

Gait speed is correlated with the item 1 self-rating of the WAI in hospital nursing staff. The 10-m walk test is a practical and easy measure that can be utilized in occupational health. More research is required to validate gait speed in other occupational health populations and investigate gait speed changes and its interaction with the work environment longitudinally.

Low back pain in emergency ambulance workers in tertiary hospitals in China and its risk factors among ambulance nurses: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Low back pain (LBP) could cause serious consequences and has been shown to be prevalent among emergency ambulance workers. Studies on the prevalence of and risk factors for LBP among emergency ambulance workers are scarce in China. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of LBP among ambulance workers, including doctors, nurses and drivers, and to explore the risk factors for ambulance nurses' chronic LBP (lasting for at least 3 months).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Emergency ambulance systems from 38 tertiary hospitals in Shandong, China were selected by random cluster sampling.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1560 ambulance workers completed the study.

OUTCOME MEASURES

A paper-based questionnaire that included the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, which evaluated LBP, the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, which assessed ergonomic factors, and the Job Content Questionnaire, which assessed stress, was used. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to quantify the association of potential risk factors with chronic LBP among ambulance nurses.

RESULTS

The 1 year prevalence of LBP lasting for at least 24 hours, 7 days and 3 months was 86.1%, 50.6% and 21.1%, respectively, among 498 ambulance nurses; 70.5%, 36.4% and 15.8% among 519 doctors; and 57.5%, 23.8% and 12.3% among 543 drivers. The factors contributing to chronic LBP among ambulance nurses were the frequent bending of the trunk, heavy or awkward lifting, shift work, low job satisfaction, high psychological fatigue, high psychological job demand, low job control, low supervisor support, older age, female sex and obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

LBP was more prevalent among ambulance nurses than among ambulance doctors and drivers. Many factors, especially psychosocial and ergonomic factors, contributed to ambulance nurses' chronic LBP. Comprehensive measures might be needed to control LBP.

Validation of Short Measures of Work Ability for Research and Employee Surveys

Work ability (WA) is an important concept in occupational health research and for over 30 years assessed worldwide with the Work Ability Index (WAI). In recent years, criticism of the WAI is increasing and alternative instruments are presented. The authors postulate that theoretical and methodological issues need to be considered when developing alternative measures for WA and conclude that a short uni-dimensional measure is needed that avoids conceptual blurring. The aim of this contribution is to validate the short and uni-dimensional WAI components WAI 1 (one item measuring "current WA compared with the lifetime best") and WAI 2 (two items assessing "WA in relation to the [mental/physical] demands of the job"). Cross-sectional and 12-month follow-up data of two large samples was used to determine construct validity of WAI 1 and WAI 2 and to relate this to respective results with the WAI. Data sources comprise nurses in Europe investigated in the European NEXT-Study (Sample A; Ncross-sectional = 28,948 and NLongitudinal = 9462, respectively) and nursing home employees of the German 3Q-Study (Sample B) where nurses (N = 786; 339, respectively) and non-nursing workers (N = 443; 196, respectively) were included. Concurrent and predictive validity of WAI 1 and WAI 2 were assessed with self-rated general health, burnout and considerations leaving the profession. Spearman rank correlation (ρ) with bootstrapping was applied. In all instances, WAI 1 and WAI 2 correlated moderately, and to a similar degree, with the related constructs. Further, WAI 1 and 2 correlated with WAI moderately to strongly with ρ ranging from 0.72-0.76 (WAI 1) and 0.70-0.78 (WAI 2). Based on the findings and supported by theoretical and methodological considerations, the authors confirm the feasibility of the short measures WAI 1 and WAI 2 for replacing WAI at least in occupational health research and employee surveys.

A Cross Sectional Study Evaluating Psychosocial Job Stress and Health Risk in Emergency Department Nurses

Nurses experience psychosocial work stress that may negatively affect physical and mental health over time. In this cross-sectional study we investigated prevalence of job stress and oxidative stress in nurses, and determined if significant relationships exist between higher job stress scores and demographic factors and working conditions. Emergency department nurses (n = 42) were recruited from a University Hospital following Institutional Review Board approval. Job stress indicators, effort-reward ratio and overcommitment were evaluated from survey questionnaires using the effort-reward imbalance model, and associations with age, sex, body mass index, and working conditions were measured by logistic regression analysis. Oxidative stress biomarkers, 8-isoprostane, malondialdehyde, and antioxidant levels were measured from urine specimens. Job stress was prevalent with effort-reward ratio > 1 in 93% and overcommitment > 50 in 83% of the study participants. Age, body mass index, years of experience, weekend work, work hours per week, and shift work showed strong associations with effort-reward ratio and overcommitment scores. Malondialdehyde was higher in participants with high overcommitment. We report that psychosocial job stress is prevalent among nurses, as revealed by the high effort-reward and overcommitment scores. Job stress may be reduced through implementation of appropriate stress reduction interventions.

Live to Work or Work to Live? An Age-Moderated Mediation Model on the Simultaneous Mechanisms Prompted by Workaholism Among Healthcare Professionals

The "aging population" implies an increased proportion of older professionals and a growing demand for healthcare services. Healthcare professionals are often highly committed to their work which can be reflected in high levels of workaholism, being a double-edged sword that can prompt both positive and negative mechanisms, differently affecting younger and older healthcare workers. The present study aims to gain insights into the relationships between healthcare professionals' age, workaholism and job satisfaction, by estimating the sequential mediating roles of workload perceptions and emotional exhaustion. We used original survey data, including information on 750 healthcare professionals. Overall, the negative relationship between workaholism and job satisfaction was shown to be sequentially (and partially) mediated by workload perceptions and emotional exhaustion. Multi-Group SEM analyses revealed differences across three age groups (under 35; between 35 and 50; over 50). Only in the two younger age groups, we found a direct and positive relationship between workaholism and job satisfaction. In all age groups, we found the negative relationship between workaholism and job satisfaction to be sequentially (and partially) mediated by workload perceptions and emotional exhaustion. The indirect effects were relatively stronger in the younger age group. Workaholism can prompt both a "gain spiral" and "a loss spiral" among healthcare professionals. The first reflects workaholism to function as a job resource fostering job satisfaction (only for the two younger age groups). The second reflects workaholism to function as a job demand reducing job satisfaction. This mechanism was shown to be stronger with an increasing age.

Occupational burnout and lifestyle in Kazakhstan cardiologists

Background

No data exist in the published literature on burnout in physicians from Central Asia. The aim of this analysis was to assess burnout prevalence in doctors and nurses of a cardiological hospital in Almaty, Kazakhstan and ascertain whether smoking, alcohol and physical activity may predict job-associated burnout.

Methods

The staff of the City Cardiological Centre of Almaty (N = 259, 82% females) filled in the questionnaire with the questions on demographics, lifestyle, including smoking, alcohol and physical activity, as well as fatigue (using Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS)) and burnout using Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel. We compared the scores of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA) between doctors and nurses.

Results

We found significant differences in the smoking prevalence, alcohol use and regular physical activity, but no mean scores of burnout between men and women. High DP was prevalent in 52% doctors and 45% nurses, whereas high EE was found in 32 and 26% and PA in 16 and 32%, accordingly. In contrast with EE and DP, PA score was greater in nurses (median 38, interquartile range (IQR) 17) compared to doctors (median 41, IQR 9). Age, sex, work duration, smoking or physical activity could not predict higher burnout, whereas FSS score was associated with higher burnout of all dimensions (p < 0.05), and never-alcohol could predict higher PA burnout (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

In Kazakhstan cardiologists, high prevalence of DP burnout should target specific preventive strategies and the association of alcohol use with PA needs further deeper insight.