When does nursing burnout begin? An investigation of the fatigue experience of Australian nursing students.
OBJECTIVE
Investigation of chronic maladaptive fatigue evolution among a large group of Australian Bachelor of Nursing (BN) degree students.


BACKGROUND
The training of Australian nurses has changed from a salaried, 'apprenticeship' structure (usually including accommodation) to a University-based (fee paying) degree. Relatively little is known about how these changes have impacted on the strain and fatigue experience of nursing students.


METHODS
A large group of Australian nursing students across 3 years of a BN course (n = 431) participated in an internet-based cross-sectional design study.


RESULTS
Levels of maladaptive fatigue, and poor recovery, increased across the course. By its completion, up to 20% of graduates were reporting signs of serious maladaptive fatigue/stress.


CONCLUSIONS
Contemporary nurse training places many students under significant psycho-social stress. Need to work for personal support as well as study and absence of adequate training in managing these strains appears to underpin this experience.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurse Managers need to be alert to the fact that new Graduate Nurse Probationer (GNP) year (or its local equivalent) nurses may already be suffering from significant stress/fatigue. To prevent this progressing to more severe states and potential premature quitting the profession, provision of adequate mentoring and guidance in effective stress management may be essential.
School of Psychology, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5073, Australia.
Samantha
S
Rella
Peter C
PC
Winwood
Kurt
K
Lushington
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001315:Australia; D002055:Burnout, Professional; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005222:Mental Fatigue; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009729:Nursing; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult