Burnout in nursing staff: a clinical syndrome rather than a psychological reaction?

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the development of burnout in the nursing staff and traits of personality, as well as sociodemographic and professional characteristics. Maslach Burnout Inventory and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire were used to evaluate all the members of the nursing staff of General Hospital AHEPA. Data on sociodemographic and professional characteristics of the staff were gathered as well. The analysis showed that there is a complex interaction of the measured characteristics of the sample that leads to the development of burnout. The model of burnout development is not only nonlinear, that is, different variables play a different role in each level of burnout development, but also points to a discontinuity between 'normal' attitude towards work and true burnout. This suggests the possibility that burnout is a true clinical syndrome with neurotic features rather than a magnification of normal tiredness from work.