Occupational Burnout among Nursing Professionals: A Comparative Analysis of 1103 Polish Female Nurses across Different Hospital Settings

Abstract

Burnout is common in public trust professions that help people, particularly in healthcare. Professional burnout is a psychological syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lowered sense of personal achievement in individuals who work with other people. Research has also shown that occupational burnout can result from the incompetence of employees. This study aimed to examine the occupational burnout and coping strategies among nurses working in different hospital settings. A study group consisted of 1103 Polish female nurses working in non-invasive, intensive care, and surgical units. The following validated tools were used: the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Mini-COPE questionnaire. The largest contribution in occupational burnout was depersonalization (mean score of 51.57) and, to a lesser extent, emotional exhaustion (mean score of 47). The smallest impact was recorded for job satisfaction (mean score of 28.76). Nurses in surgical departments were younger, less burned out, and dealt with stress better than nurses in non-invasive and intensive care units. Nurses in non-invasive wards were the most burned out among the study sample. Nurses in intensive care experienced the least satisfaction from work. In conclusion, professional burnout in nurses depends on the hospital settings, and this specification should be considered in recognizing this problem among nurses. Considering coping strategies, the results suggest a need for tailored coping interventions and support programs specifically designed for nurses working in high-stress environments such as the intensive care unit and non-invasive ward. Given that surgical nurses demonstrated better coping strategies, there is an opportunity to share their best practices with nurses in the intensive care unit and non-invasive ward. In the long-term perspective, investing in the well-being of healthcare workers can lead to a more sustainable healthcare system. By reducing turnover rates and improving the quality of care, sustainable practices can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems.