Burnout, work engagement, and associated factors among advanced practice cancer nurses: A cross-sectional study

Advanced practice cancer nurses are patient-focused, specialised nurses with an expanded range of competencies who play a central role in cancer care. Exposure to varying job demands and job resources may influence their levels of burnout and work engagement. This study aimed to examine burnout, work engagement, and their associated factors among advanced practice cancer nurses in Australia.

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 123 advanced practice cancer nurses across Australia. Burnout and work engagement were assessed using the Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Job demands, job resources, and outcomes were assessed using study-specific items of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire III. Structural equation modelling analysis was used to test the relationships between these variables based on the Job Demands-Resources model.

Most participants reported moderate to high emotional exhaustion (78.0%) and low depersonalisation (73.2%), whereas 78.9% of participants reported moderate to high personal accomplishment. Nearly half (49.6%) reported moderate to high vigour, and the majority reported moderate to high dedication (87.0%) and absorption (94.4%). Job demands were positively associated with burnout. Job resources were positively associated with work engagement and negatively associated with burnout.

Advanced practice cancer nurses reported elevated emotional exhaustion alongside moderate to high levels of dedication, absorption and personal accomplishment. Higher job demands and lower job resources were associated with burnout, whereas higher job resources were associated with work engagement. Findings highlight the potential importance of workplace factors in shaping occupational wellbeing among advanced practice cancer nurses.