Facing Pandemic: Burnout in Nurses in Turkey

Area of Science:

• Medical Sciences
• Nursing Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Burnout syndrome, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced accomplishment, is prevalent in nursing.
• The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic imposed unprecedented challenges on nurses, impacting their well-being.
• Understanding factors contributing to nurse burnout during the pandemic is crucial for developing support strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factors influencing burnout among nurses in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To assess the specific impact of working in pandemic units on nurses' burnout levels.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 3523 nurses across 69 Turkish cities using sociodemographic questions and the Maslach Burnout Inventory.
• Data were collected electronically via SurveyMonkey between June 9-21, 2020.
• Nurses were categorized based on their work in pandemic units versus non-pandemic units to evaluate pandemic-related stress.

Main Results:

• A total of 2386 nurses completed the survey (response rate 68%).
• Over half of the participants (54.9%) worked in pandemic units.
• Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed significantly higher emotional exhaustion scores among nurses working in pandemic units (P < .05).

Conclusions:

• The findings align with previously identified causes of burnout in nursing.
• The COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a fundamental and significant factor contributing to nurse burnout.
• Targeted interventions are needed to mitigate pandemic-related burnout in healthcare professionals.