High prevalence of burnout syndrome in orthopedic nurses in Italy

Recent studies reported particularly high levels of burnout in nurses working in Orthopedic and Trauma departments.

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the estimated prevalence of burnout and psychiatric morbidity in a population of nurses that work in Italian orthopedic and traumatology departments and to reveal eventual correlations between socio-demographic factors, stress factors, and satisfaction at work.

Nurses, employed in orthopedics and traumatology departments, were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire including: a section on demographic data, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Short-Form 12, a section on personal and social life, work conditions, and feelings about the work.

A high emotional exhaustion (EE) value was present in 35 nurses (66%), a high depersonalization (DP) value in 44 nurses (83%), and a low personal accomplishment (PA) value in 47 nurses (88%). High levels of burnout (EE and DP) were strongly correlated to nurses' perception of health-related quality of life (in the Mental Component Summary-12).

The average subscales of burnout were remarkably high among Italian orthopedic nurses, suggesting the need of further studies for obtaining a more exact prevalence of this phenomenon.