Predictive and Associated Factors of Burnout in Nursing Faculty: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Background: Nurse educators are at high risk of experiencing burnout, resulting in high numbers of vacant faculty positions.

Purpose: The aims of this integrative review were to review the prevalence of measurable dimensions of professional burnout and discuss the predictive and associated factors of burnout and intent to leave nursing academia.

Approach: This review used the Whittemore and Knafl integrative review methodology to perform a structured search of 4 electronic databases (CINAHL, ERIC, EMBASE, and PubMed).

Outcomes: Nine empirical research studies measured 5 identifiable features of burnout in nursing educators: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, lack of accomplishment, compassion satisfaction, and secondary traumatic stress. Five predictors of intent to leave nursing academia were identified: demographics, health status, salary, workload, and work-life imbalance.

Conclusions: The highest contributing factor to burnout and intent to leave nursing academia is high workload levels and lack of work-life balance. Nursing faculty report moderate to high levels of all dimensions of professional burnout.