Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess frontline nurses’ job-burnout and
examine its associated factors including nurses’ socio-demographics, work
environment, job-related stress, and job satisfaction.
Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study design was used. Data were collected
from frontline nurses working in two public hospitals in the Sultanate of Oman over a
three-month period. Nurses’ perception of job-burnout was measured using the
emotional exhaustion sub-scale of Maslach Burnout Inventory. Perception of the work
environment was measured using the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work
Index (PES-NWI). Job-related stress was measured using Perceived Stress Scale. Job
satisfaction was measured by asking nurses to rate their satisfaction with their current
job. A multivariate regression analysis was conducted.
Results: A total of 379 nurses participated, with an overall response rate of 63%. On
average, nurses reported a high level of job burnout (mean = 31.88, SD = 11.8).
Findings revealed that lower job satisfaction (β = -4.48±2.00; p = 0.027) and higher
levels of job-related stress (β = 1.5±0.22; p <0.001) were associated with higher levels
of burnout. In addition, nurses’ perception of inadequate staffing and insufficient
resources was significantly associated with increasing nurses’ burnout (β = -1.35±0.51;
p = 0.009). The overall regression model explained 59% of variances in nurses' job
emotional exhaustion.
Conclusion: Frontline nurses experienced high levels of emotional exhaustion and jobrelated stresses during COVID-19 pandemic that warrant further support. Therefore,
identifying work environment characteristics that can reduce nurses’ burnout is critical to
ensure a healthy work setting and safe delivery of patient care. One of the mechanisms
to reduce the impact of these psychological issues is by providing adequate staffing and
sufficient resources. The healthcare policymakers should develop strategies to ensure
the availability of safe staffing during this and other potential future pandemics. In
addition, developing strategies at organizational level to reduce work-related stress are
needed to reduce nurses’ emotional exhaustion. However, further qualitative and
interventional studies are needed to explore strategies needed to improve the working
environment and enhancing nurses’ psychological health
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Sigma theta tau international |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2021 |