Burnout, stress and styles of coping among hospital nurses

The evaluation of professional burnout among hospital nurses and the analysis of correlations between burnout and a subjectively perceived stress and coping styles.

A study sample consisted of 227 nurses from general medical, neurological and psychiatric hospital wards. A set of 3 questionnaires was used, including Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) and Subjectively Perceived Stresss (SPS).

Average and high level of burnout in the emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (D) and personal accomplishment (PA) was present at 71%, 39.8% and 77% of nurses respectively. A significantly higher level of burnout was noted in the subgroup of general medical nurses. The diferences involved the total MBI score and the results of the subscales EE and D (p < 0.01). A significant correlation has been found between the subjectively perceived stress and the level of burnout (r = 0.51, p < 0.01). Significant correlations has been found between MBI scores and CISS scores. Correlation between burnout and a task oriented coping was negative and correlation between burnout and emotion oriented coping was positive.

The level of stress influences the professional burnout among nurses. There is a diversity in the level of burnout depending on the specialization at work, which is not accompanied by a similar diversity in the subjectively perceived stress. The correlation between burnout and a coping style is rather weak, but statistically significant.