SELECTED FACTORS IMPACTING BURNOUT IN PROFESSIONAL AND PARAPROFESSIONAL CAREGIVERS IN ACUTE CARE AND LONG-TERM HEALTH CARE FACILITIES (WORK SUPPORT, TERMINALLY ILL, STRESS).
Contributors: Oregon State University.
Published: 1986
Number of pages: 168
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Burnout is a phenomenon in which the cumulative effects of a stressful work environment gradually overwhelm the defenses of staff members, forcing them to psychologically withdraw. To understand the experience of professional and paraprofessional nurses suffering from burnout requires a close examination of the environments in which they function. This study examined interpersonal, intrapersonal and situational factors expected to contribute to the burnout syndrome among nursing staff who worked in acute care and long-term care health facilities. It also examined for differences in caregivers' burnout, work support, coping strategies, and comfort with patients with poor prognosis for survival by occupational roles, types of facility and professional exposure to patients with poor prognosis for survival. The sample included 312 registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants who worked in both acute care and long-term care facilities. Multivariate analysis of variance and multiple regression were utilized to analyze the data.

Based on the results, interpersonal, intrapersonal and situational factors were all included in the final model which identified specific variables predictive of the various dimensions of burnout. Work environment support and tension-releasing and instrumental coping strategies were the most powerful predictors of burnout. Certified nursing assistants were significantly higher on burnout than registered/licensed nurses. In addition, certified nursing assistants were lower on work support and comfort with patients with poor prognosis for survival than were registered/licensed nurses. Finally, nurses with moderate and high exposure to patients with poor prognosis for survival were significantly more comfortable with such patients than were nurses with lower exposure. Recommendations for future research and practice are presented.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-06, Section: B, page: 2371.

Thesis (PH.D.)--OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY, 1986.

School code: 0172.