Burnout of Long-term Care Facility Employees: Relationship with Employees' Expressed Emotion Toward Patients

Abstract

This study determined factors related to the burnout of long-term care facility employees, including employees' expressed emotion (EE) toward patients. A survey of 411 long-term care facility employees was conducted. Employee burnout was evaluated using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). EE levels were evaluated using the Nurse Attitude Scale (NAS). The percentage of high scorers on the MBI's three subscales of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment were as follows: emotional exhaustion, 197 people (51.6%); depersonalization, 122 people (31.4%); and low personal accomplishment, 301 people (83.8%). Results of multiple logistic regression analysis using presence of a high score on the MBI subscales as dependent variables confirmed significant relevant factors. For emotional exhaustion, this was criticism [odds ratio (OR): 1.74, p = 0.046], for depersonalization, male (OR: 1.99, p = 0.021), younger than 40 years (OR: 1.84, p = 0.038), and hostility (OR: 2.99, p < 0.001). Results indicate that employees' EE of criticism and hostility toward patients is related to burnout.