Relationship between job demand and burnout in nurses: does it depend on work engagement?

Abstract

The present study aimed to deepen the understanding of the relationships among job demands, control, social support, burnout and engagement in nurses. Burnout is a prevalent phenomenon among nurses because of the interaction between high demands and low resources, according to the job demands-resources model. A descriptive, correlational design was used in a stratified random sample of 100 nurses recruited from two Spanish hospitals. Job demand, social support, control, engagement, and burnout were measured. Data were analysed by hierarchical regression analysis. Social support is a significant predictor of nurses' engagement and demands is a predictor of nurses' burnout. Work engagement moderates the relationship between job demands and burnout. The process that leads to burnout and the process that leads to engagement are not isolated processes; engagement acts as a moderator of burnout. The prevailing paradigm in combating burnout in nursing can be changed and could be based on the enhancement of nurses' strengths through increasing engagement.