Predictors of Burnout Syndrome among Nurses in Critical Care Units at a Public Health Hospital in Sa

Background

Burnout syndrome is a common occupational illness affecting healthcare providers including nurses. Global shortage of providers caused by burnout syndrome is estimated to be at 30-40 % in 1998-1999 (aikenet al., 2001). In the kingdom of saudi arabia (ksa), a higher percentage was identified at tabuk military hospital, where 75.9 % of the nurses showed prevalence of burnout syndrome (suliman & alhablani, 2014). The issue was also increased at the king abdulaziz university hospital, where the prevalence of burnout syndrome was reported at 9.34 % (abdulaziz et al, 2017).

Burnout is a term which was defined by psychologist herbert freudenberger in 1974 as a condition in which psychological and physical efficiency is reduced because of the ongoing exposure being facilitated by the occupational stressors (sahraian et al., 2008). The three elements representing burnout are depersonalization; emotional exhaustion as well reduced personal accomplishment. Burnout involves the state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, which is usually caused by prolonged and excessive stress (abdulaziz et al, 2017).

Burnout occurs when a person feels stressed and overwhelmed, causing emotional drained as well inability to achieve the constant demands. Burnout syndrome is identified to be the most occupational illness (kontodimopoulos, paleologou & niakasm, 2009). This issue also consists of various physical and psychological consequences, which generally contribute to loss of professional motivation as well depression (lahana et al., 2017). In addition, the impact of burnout can reduce the production in the workplace, causing adverse issues related to appropriate healthcare provisions.

The study will tack place at king fahad general hospital in jeddah (kfghj) (weston region of ksa). Kfghj is reference hospital with its 707-bed capacity ministry of health (moh, 2018). The estimated number of nurses in 2014 was 1260 (hastings et al, 2016).

Despite the growing in the literature about burnout syndrome and its consequences, analysis of the factors associated with it in ksa is limited. Understanding those factors may contribute to healthy work environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine predictors of burnout among nurses working in critical care units at a public health hospital in ksa.

The study aims to evaluate the performance of nursing staff working at a critical care unit and have experienced burnout syndrome.

This study will seek to answer the following questions:

What are the predictors of job performance among nurses working in the critical care unit at a public hospital in saudi arabia?

What is the relationship between burnout syndrome among nurses and their performance?

Null hypothesis. There is no relationship between nursing performance and burnout syndrome.

Research hypothesis. There is a positive relationship between nursing performance and burnout syndrome among nurses working at a critical care unit.

Health care providers continue to be highly exposed to risk factors that increase levels of burnouts (lahana et al., 2017). Various studies have addressed the possible interventions and measures which can be implemented to reduce and prevent burnout among nurses (lahana et al., 2017; sahraian et.al, 2008). Therefore, the current study may contribute to determine the predictors of burnout among nurses.