Examining the frequency of job burnout in nurses working in the hospitals of Semnan University of Medical Sciences: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: One of the most important complications of the nursing job is burnout which is associated with a decrease in mental health, quality of medical care, and a decrease in patient satisfaction with the treatment process. We aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout in nurses working in Semnan Universities. Materials and Methods: A total of 151 nurses working in two hospitals affiliated with the Semnan University of Medical Sciences were included in the present cross-sectional study. Demographic characteristics of the participants were gathered using researcher-based questionnaires. Burnout was assessed using the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire. Values of continuous and categorical variables were presented as mean standard deviation and numbers, respectively. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 36.4±8.8, of whom 128 participants (85%) were female. The average work experience was 12.4±7.8 years. The prevalence of moderate burnout in the study participants was 75.5%. The prevalence of burnout subdomains including moderate emotional exhaustion, moderate depersonalization, and moderate personal accomplishment was, respectively, 70.9%, 82.1%, and 58.9%. The score of the Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire and its subtypes did not differ significantly across subgroups defined by age, sex, education status, working experience, medical ward, and marital status. Conclusion: The prevalence of moderate burnout is relatively high among nurses working in Semnan hospitals. There is a need for further investigations to assess the underlying causes of burnout to design and implement intervention strategies to reduce the high prevalence of nursing burnout.