Burnout among academic nursing faculty

Nurse faculty burnout is a growing concern in the United States. There are limited studies exploring the level of burnout in nursing faculty.

To assess the prevalence of burnout among nurse faculty in undergraduate and graduate programs and its relationship with specific demographic and organizational variables.

A descriptive cross-sectional research design was employed to examine the level of burnout of nursing faculty. An internet-based survey was administered to nursing faculty in over 1000 schools of nursing in the United States. Burnout was measured using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory.

A total of 3556 surveys were returned. Among all participants, most of the sample exhibited moderate levels of burnout, exhaustion, and disengagement. Based on the findings from the OBI, a moderate/high exhaustion level was reported in 85.5 % of participants, while disengagement was moderate/high in 84.9 %, and overall burnout was at moderate/high levels in 85.2 % of the nursing faculty.

The nation's nurse faculty population is experiencing a moderate to high level of burnout, exhaustion, and disengagement. Academic nursing leaders are encouraged to identify ways and take action to reduce faculty burnout and promote faculty wellness and resilience.