Authors

1Natalia García Grau, 1Alba Roca Biosca, 1Ana Carmona Heredia, 2Montserrat Olona Cabassés

Position

¹Diplomada Universitaria en Enfermería. Servicio de Medicina Intensiva. Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII. ²Licenciada en Medicina. Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Empidemiología. Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII.

Contact address

C/ Ibiza, 19, Ático 1ª. 43005 Tarragona.

Contact email: tali197@hotmail.com

Abstract

An analytical cross-section study was performed for the purpose of determining the level of burnout in nurses working in Catalonian ICUs, their job satisfaction, nurse-patient ratio and other variables that are known to influence burnout and that are potentially modifiable. The studied sample consisted of 366 subjects (194 of them from high-tech hospitals- HTH-130 from referral university hospitals –RUH- and 42 from non-university hospitals –NUH–). All of them answered two questionnaires: The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and a socio-demographic and work-related questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using the 6.1 version of the SPSS program. The results established a diagnosis of moderate Burnout syndrome in emotional exhaustion (x: 25.7; SD: 9.8) and personal accomplishment (x: 35.5; SD: 7.5) and high burnout in depersonalization (x: 9.4; SD: 4.2). The staff at RUHs presented a higher level of depersonalization (OR: 2.3; CI: [1.2-3.5] ) than the rest. The staff at the NUHs had a better relationship with their colleagues than the staff at other hospitals (OR: 3.6; CI: [1.1-15.7]. An unsatisfactory relationship with colleagues was found to be associated with a nurse/patient ratio > 2 (OR: 1.6; CI: [1.01-3.4]). Likewise the desire to leave the ICU setting has been associated with a nurse/patient ratio > 2 (OR: 1.6; CI: 1.01-3.2). The variables years of experience (>10) and years worked in the ICU (>5), are both significantly associated with a high level of emotional exhaustion. Low levels of personal accomplishment were significantly associated with working the nightshift and years worked in the ICU (>5). The following conclusion was reached: the incidence of Burnout syndrome in Catalonia’s ICUs is high and a nurse/patient ratio higher than two causes a lack of motivation and increases interpersonal conflicts.

Keywords:

Burnout syndrome; job conditions; occupational stress; critical care nurse; Mental Healthocupational health

Versión en Español

Título:

Síndrome de Burnout en los equipos de Enfermería de Cuidados Intensivos de Cataluña