A cross-sectional survey to explore the prevalence and causes of occupational burnout syndrome among perioperative nurses in Saudi Arabia.

Bader Ali Almodibeg,Hazel Smith

doi:10.1002/nop2.637

Abstract

AimTo detect the level of burnout and its most significant causes among perioperative nurses.DesignA descriptive quantitative cross‐sectional survey design.MethodsData on burnout and its most significant causes were collected by surveying 39 perioperative nurses in a regional hospital in Saudi Arabia using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a self‐developed questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to perform statistical analysis.ResultsBurnout was detected in 5% of respondents. A high level of emotional exhaustion was detected in 87.2%. Similarly, a high level of depersonalization was detected in 56.4%, while 15.4% of nurses showed a low sense of personal accomplishment. Several factors were identified as the causes of burnout such as high workload, staff shortage, poor teamwork, insufficient salary and occupational hazards. However, lack of departmental support and undesirable supervision in the workplace seem to be the main causes of burnout.

Highlights

It is projected that the world will face a shortage of healthcare practitioners of 7.2 million by 2035 (WHO, 2018)
Our results show that the prevalence of Occupational Burnout Syndrome (OBS) was low in perioperative nurses working in one centre in Saudi Arabia
The main predictors of the causes of OBS among perioperative nurses seem to be the lack of departmental support and undesirable supervision in the workplace

Summary

Introduction

It is projected that the world will face a shortage of healthcare practitioners of 7.2 million by 2035 (WHO, 2018). There is a plethora of international literature identifying the prevalence rates and causes of OBS among nurses in different departments (Adriaenssens et al, 2015; Khamisa et al, 2013; Parola et al, 2017). A comprehensive literature search found only a limited number of studies exploring the prevalence rate and causes of OBS among perioperative nurses. The authors of this study exaggerated the prevalence rate of OBS by adding participants who showed only high levels of EE and DP as well as participants who had full-blown OBS (high levels of EE and DP along with a low level of PA). Another study, conducted by Khorasani Niasar et al (2013), aimed to detect the levels of the three OBS dimensions among 87 perioperative nurses working in one of the biggest tertiary hospitals in Iran.

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