Psychosocial determinants of burnout in geriatric nursing

The purpose of this study was to identify determinants of burnout using an adapted version of Kobasa's theoretical framework, considering work stressors, work support, coping strategies and hardiness. Data were collected through a questionnaire mailed to 1990 randomly selected geriatric nurses. A participation rate of 77.6% was achieved. T-test, variance analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that 49% of the variance was explained by the study variables. Hardiness and work stressors were the most important predictors of burnout. The findings are discussed in relation to Kobasa's framework, focusing on resources that reduce negative effects of geriatric work stressors. Implications for nursing practice, management, education and research are proposed.