The Relationship Between Quality of Work Life and Burnout: A Linear Regression Structural-Equation Modeling

Abstract

Background: Most health professions, including nursing, create a lot of stress. To alleviate and cope with stresses and strains of the job, awareness of the causes is essential. Burnout and quality of work life are among factors affecting employees’ performance degradation. Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the relationship between quality of work life and burnout among nurses. Methods: This study had a cross-sectional and was carried out at Imam Hossein hospital of Shahroud, during year 2014. Data was collected using Walton’s quality of work life questionnaire and Maslach burnout inventory. The study applied convenience sampling and the sample size was 134. Data was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation, t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The majority of nursing staff (n = 118) under study were females (88.1%) and their mean age was 30.48. Results showed that the mean score for quality of work life in the majority of subjects was moderate (90.3%). In terms of frequency and intensity of burnout, the majority of participants showed high scores in personal accomplishment (100%) and depersonalization dimensions (99.3%). In addition, a negative and significant relationship was found between quality of work life and burnout. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that there was a correlation between the quality of work life and burnout among nurses. Accordingly, interventions to improve the quality of work life, reduce burnout, increase the level of personal accomplishment, and ultimately provide patients with better services are advised.