Burnout and associated occupational stresses among Chinese nurses: A cross-sectional study in three hospitals.

• Main Authors: Yasira Kabakleh, Jing-Ping Zhang, Mengmeng Lv, Juan Li, Silan Yang, Joel Swai, Hui-Yuan Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2020-01-01
• Series: PLoS ONE
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238699

<h4>Background</h4>There is literature scarcity relating to burnout and other work stresses in relation to Chinese nursing-workforce performance.<h4>Objectives</h4>To assess the relationship between self-esteem versus burnout; and effort-reward ratio versus favorability to the work environment, among Chinese nurses.<h4>Methods</h4>We employed four validated questionnaires in the assessment burnout, self-esteem, effort-reward ratio, and favorability of nursing workplace; Maslach-Burnout Inventory (MBI), Rosenberg's self-esteem (RS), Effort-Reward imbalance (ERI) and Work-Environment Scale questionnaires (WES). Linear and ordinal regression models were utilized to assess the relationships between the variables. Analyses were conducted by using SPSS at a 95% level of significance.<h4>Results</h4>We assessed 487 (Mean age: 38.8±7.1 years) nurses from three hospitals. Higher self-esteem was associated with a lower level of emotional exhaustion (Unstandardized coefficient: -0.579, p-Value<0.001); and a lower level of depersonalization (Unstandardized coefficient: -0.212, p-Value = 0.001). The relationship between self-esteem and personal achievement did not reach statistical significance. A higher effort-reward ratio was associated with less likelihood that nurses would consider their work environment favorable (Logit estimate of -0.832, p-Value = 0.014).<h4>Conclusion</h4>Lower self-esteem is associated with increased burnout. A higher effort-reward ratio is associated with an enhanced perception work environment as unfavorable. We recommend psychosocial intervention programs and amendments in nursing policies to improve effort-reward imbalance among Chinese nurses.