Assessing and addressing practitioner burnout: Results from an advanced practice registered nurse health and
April N Kapu1, Elizabeth Borg Card2, Heather Jackson3
1Advanced Practice, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Professor of Clinical Nursing, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, Tennessee.
Background:
Numerous nursing and physician studies have reported the effects of workload, environment, and life circumstances contributing to burnout. Effects may include job dissatisfaction, poor quality of life, and associated negative patient outcomes. Although assessing clinician burnout to determine effective interventions has become a topic of great importance, there are minimal studies specific to advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).
Purpose:
This single-center study was conducted to assess the prevalence and impact of APRN burnout and to recommend targeted interventions toward improvement of overall health and well-being.
Methods:
A cross-sectional, mixed methods design was used. The voluntary, anonymous survey examined perceptions of wellness, inclusion, social support, personal coping mechanisms, and status of burnout.
Results:
The 78-question survey was sent to 1,014 APRNs (94%) and PAs (6%), with a 43.6% response rate (n = 433); 76.4% were nurse practitioners. Participants were identified as currently experiencing burnout, formerly burned out, or never having experienced burnout. Profiles were developed, and similarities and differences between each group were compared. Of 433 respondents, 40.4% (n = 175) reported having never experienced burnout, 33.3% (n = 144) reported they had formerly experienced burnout, and 26.3% (n = 114) reported they were currently experiencing burnout.
Implications For Practice:
The results of the study identified that some APRNs report experiencing burnout at different times in their careers. Recommendations by participants to mitigate burnout included self-care, organizational promotion of health and well-being, career development, and leadership support. This study is one of the first to report on burnout among APRNs and potential interventions to build resilience; however, additional research is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:22The Professional Nurse
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.
01:28Current Trends in Nursing I
01:30Current Trends in Nursing II
01:30Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
01:30Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice
Theories provide a perspective to assess patients' conditions and organize data and methods. They also assist in analyzing and interpreting information. They represent a...
01:21Interdisciplinary Care: The Health Care Team-I
Physicians
The physician's primary responsibility is to diagnose illness and direct the medical or surgical treatment of the condition. The authority to admit patients to a healthcare agency or institution and practice care within that setting is granted to physicians by the healthcare agency or institution...