Nurses burned out and want to quit

Date:
August 28, 2020
Source:
European Society of Cardiology
Summary:
A survey of nurses caring for children with heart problems has
revealed that more than half are emotionally exhausted. The
analysis also found that good working environments were linked
with less burnout.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A survey of nurses caring for children with heart problems has revealed
that more than half are emotionally exhausted. The analysis, presented
today at ESC Congress 2020, also found that good working environments
were linked with less burnout.


========================================================================== "Nurses' wellbeing is central to ensuring the best outcomes for patients,"
said study author Dr. Annamaria Bagnasco of the University of Genoa,
Italy. "When wards have poor leadership and fragmented teams with no development prospects for nurses this should raise an alarm that there
is a risk of burnout." Previous research has shown that burnout rates
are higher in paediatrics than in other specialties, and that burnout
is connected to patient safety.

Strategies to reduce burnout and its impact on patient safety are needed.

This study examined emotional exhaustion in nurses providing routine
care on paediatric cardiology wards and whether it was related to the
working environment.

Data were obtained from the RN4CAST@ITPed study. A web survey was
distributed to 2,769 nurses working in children's hospitals throughout
Italy between September 2017 and January 2018. A total of 2,205 (80%)
nurses responded, of whom 85 worked in cardiology wards and intensive
care units (ICUs). Additional data were collected from hospital administrations. Topics included workload, skill mix, work environment,
and emotional exhaustion.

The following definitions were used: Workload referred to how many
patients each nurse was caring for (nurse-patient ratio). Skill mix
included both the education level of nurses working in one unit and the
number of nursing assistants providing support during each shift.



==========================================================================
Work environment was measured with the Practice Environment Scale of
the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI), which covers issues such as: having a
nurse manager or immediate supervisor who is a good manager and leader; opportunities for advancement; opportunities to participate in policy decisions; and collaboration between nurses and doctors.

Emotional exhaustion was investigated using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which measures feelings about work. For example, feeling emotionally
drained, used up, fatigued in the morning, burned out, frustrated, working
too hard, stressed, or "at the end of my rope." This analysis focused
on responses from the 85 nurses working in cardiology wards and ICUs at
five hospitals. Interviews were also conducted with these nurses. More
than half (58%) were emotionally exhausted. The main causes were related
to working conditions, including being responsible for high numbers of
patients and the complexity of caring for sick children.

"The most important consequence was that 30% of the nurses we interviewed wanted to either go and work in another hospital or even change their
career," said Dr. Bagnasco.

The researchers then analysed the relationship between emotional
exhaustion and the working environment. Improving the workplace
environment was associated with an 81% fall in emotional exhaustion --
even with the same skill mix and nurse-patient ratio.

"Our study shows that nurses value good leadership, being involved
in decision- making, having chances to develop their career, and team
working," said Dr.

Bagnasco. "The lack of these conditions is connected to burnout, which we
know from prior research could compromise patient safety." Dr. Bagnasco
noted that paediatric cardiac nurses must collaborate with children
and their families, who often feel concerned and afraid. She said: "Establishing a trusting relationship is essential but burned out nurses
may find it 'too heavy' to bear emotionally. If the working environment
is positive for the nurses who work in it, children and their families
will receive better and safer care."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by European_Society_of_Cardiology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


==========================================================================


Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200828081037.htm

--- up 4 days, 6 hours, 50 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1337:3/111)