Emotional exhaustion predicts poor sleep quality among orthopedic nurses: a cross-sectional study

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of orthopedic nurse burnout on sleep quality.

The Chinese versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were administered to 184 orthopedic nurses in five Grade-A tertiary hospitals in Chengdu. Multiple linear regression was used for data analysis.

The total PSQI score of orthopedic nurses was 6.10 ± 2.87, and the detection rate of sleep disorders was 58.7%; the total job burnout score was 43.14 ± 9.76, and emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment were all moderately positively correlated with PSQI (r = 0.228-0.376); regression showed that the three dimensions jointly explained 41.7% of the variance in sleep quality, with emotional exhaustion (β = 0.301) having the largest effect; being married, having more than 5 years of work experience, and low income also significantly positively affected sleep quality.

Job burnout significantly affects sleep quality among orthopedic nurses, with emotional exhaustion having the greatest impact; those who are married, have long tenure, and have low income are at higher risk. Reducing burnout and strengthening support and incentives are key to improving sleep quality among orthopedic nurses.