Academic burnout and professional self-concept of nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundNursing students' academic burnout affects their learning behaviour and academic performance, which ultimately affect whether they will become a qualified nurse. However, little is known about the academic burnout of nursing students, or about its relationship with professional self-concept. ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was (1) to assess the academic burnout of nursing students and (2) to evaluate the impact of professional self-concept on academic burnout among nursing students. DesignA cross-sectional survey. SettingsThe survey was carried out at a 3-year vocational medical college and a 4-year undergraduate medical college in Anhui province, which is located in east-central China. ParticipantsFrom March to May 2018, a total of 1139 full-time nursing students were investigated by convenient sampling, and 1083 valid questionnaires were recovered in this study. MethodsBasic information of students were collected. The Academic Burnout Scale (ABS) and the Nurses' Self-Concept Instrument (NSCI) were used to evaluate students' academic burnout and professional self-concept. ResultsThe average of the overall score of the Academic Burnout Scale was 2.77 ± 0.53, which closed to the median of the scale (median = 3). Whether class leader students or not has significant influence on influence students' academic burnout. Nursing students' professional self-concept had negative effect on their academic burnout. ConclusionsNursing students' academic burnout level was close to the median on the Academic Burnout Scale, and improper behaviour was most severe. Positive professional self-concept can reduce the level of academic burnout. It is meaningful for nursing educators to take measures to decrease nursing students' academic burnout and enhance their professional self-concept.