Increasing burnout among nurses: How can nurse managers respond?

Abstract

In 2007 an audit of stress and burnout was undertaken with mental health and learning disability nurses in one NHS trust using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, a validated tool that measures stress and burnout. In 2014, a re-audit was undertaken using the same tool. This article examines the implications of a findings from the re-audit of burnout. In the 2014 re-audit a survey was distributed to 400 nurses in one mental health and learning disability foundation trust. Findings show an increase in stress in two key areas of stress and burnout. This may be related to the changes and uncertainties in the NHS in the four countries of the UK. However, the re-audit did not intend to make a causal relationship between the NHS changes and burnout. Instead, it was to determine whether levels of stress and burnout were changing. The NHS' capacity to deliver compassionate high-quality patient care may be threatened by rising levels of burnout and there is a role in this for mental health nurse managers.