A cross-sectional study on burnout and its individual and environmental correlates among hepatological surgery nurses in Hunan Province, China

PLoS One. 2023 Mar 23;18(3):e0283373. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283373. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Background: Burnout is a widespread occupational phenomenon among nurses with significant adverse outcomes for nurses, patients, and society. It is thus important and urgent to understand burnout and its risk factors to guide interventions. This study aimed to examine the level of burnout and explore its individual and environmental correlates.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Hunan, China. A total of 623 hepatological surgery nurses completed an online survey (response rate: 72.78%). Burnout was measured using the standard Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Information on individual factors and environmental factors was collected by self-designed questionnaires.

Results: The scores of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal achievement in nurse burnout were 30 (26-34), 11 (8-14), and 23 (20-26) respectively. The prevalence of high burnout ranged from 52.81% for emotional exhaustion to 90.37% for decreased personal achievement. The three dimensions of burnout shared common correlates such as self-rated physical health and working environment, while also having additional unique correlates such as overwork, satisfaction with income, and age.

Conclusion: Hepatological surgery nurses in Hunan Province are suffering from high levels of burnout, which requires public attention and urgent interventions. Improvement of the physical health and working environment of nurses may be the most beneficial intervention measures to tackle various dimensions of burnout, while other targeted measures are also needed for each specific dimension.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Burnout, Professional* / epidemiology
  • Burnout, Professional* / psychology
  • Burnout, Psychological
  • China / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Nurses*
  • Risk Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Hunan Provincial Science and Technology Department (No. 2020ZK4063), the Education Department of Hunan Province (No.: 20C1121), and the Health Commission of Hunan Province (No.: 202114021956) in support of the corresponding author. All the funders had no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, and in writing this manuscript. There was no additional external funding received for this study.