Job burnout and quality of working life among Chinese nurses: A cross-sectional study

To explore the relationship between job burnout and quality of working life, and identify influencing factors of nurses' quality of working life.

Understanding the influencing factors of quality of working life is important to improve nursing retention strategies. Job burnout can negatively influence work efficiency and quality of work. However, studies examining the association between the two remain limited.

The cross-sectional survey of 2,504 nurses was performed in Eastern China. Nurses were invited to complete self-report questionnaires online. The collected data were analysed using Pearson's correlation and multiple regression.

About 64.0% of nurses experienced job burnout, and their quality of working life was at a moderate level. Job burnout, hospital level, age, income, night shift and patient-to-nurse ratio were significant factors of quality of working life.

Job burnout has a negative effect on nurses' quality of working life. Some demographic and work-related factors should be considered when developing interventions to improve nurses' quality of working life.

Hospital and nurses managers should develop strategies to reduce nurses' job burnout and enhance their quality of working life, such as optimum nurse staffing, offer reasonable pecuniary compensation and establish an appropriate shift work schedule.