An examination of factors related to burnout among mental health nurses

This cross-sectional study was designed to test a model of burnout among mental health nurses employed in a psychiatric hospital in Atlantic Canada. The model included the variables job satisfaction, role ambiguity, role conflict, workload, social support, perception of personal safety, age, education, work experience, and the three dimensions of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. The sample consisted of 115 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. -- The rate of burnout within the sample was 8.1 %, although more than 40.0% of the sample reported high levels of emotional exhaustion, or depersonalization, or low levels of personal accomplishment. Nearly half of the participants reported high levels of concern for their personal safety in the workplace. Bivariate analyses demonstrated significant correlations between a number of the study variables. Multiple linear regressions indicated that job satisfaction, role conflict, and workload were the best predictors of the three dimensions of burnout. Specifically, role conflict was a significant predictor of all three dimensions of burnout, while job satisfaction was a significant predictor of emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment, and workload was a significant predictor of depersonalization and personal accomplishment. The perception of personal safety was significantly correlated with all three dimensions of burnout, job satisfaction, role conflict, role ambiguity, workload, and social support, but it was not found to be a significant predictor in the model of burnout used in this research. -- The results of this study have implications for nursing practice, education, theory, and research. At a time when the nursing profession in Canada is aging and experiencing mass retirement, this research provides relevant information for the prevention of burnout among mental health nurses that can improve the retention of experienced nurses and the recruitment of new nurses