The prevalence and impact of post traumatic stress disorder and burnout syndrome in nurses.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and burnout syndrome (BOS) are common in nurses, and whether the co-existence of PTSD and BOS is associated with altered perceptions of work and nonwork-related activities.


METHODS
University hospital nurses were administered four validated psychological questionnaires.


RESULTS
The response rate was 41% (332/810). Twenty two percent (73/332) had symptoms of PTSD, 18% (61/332) met diagnostic criteria for PTSD, and 86% (277/323) met criteria for BOS. Ninety eight percent (59/60) of those fulfilling diagnostic criteria for PTSD were positive for BOS. When grouped into three categories: positive for PTSD and BOS (n=59), positive for BOS and negative for PTSD (n=217), and negative for both BOS and PTSD (n=46), there were significant differences in the years of employment as a nurse (P<.0001), perceptions of collaborative nursing care (P=.006), confidence in physicians (P=.01), and perception that their work impacted patient outcomes (P=.01). Nurses with BOS and PTSD were significantly more likely to have difficulty in their life outside of the work environment when compared to those with BOS alone.


CONCLUSIONS
We identified that PTSD and BOS are common in nurses and those with PTSD will almost uniformly have symptoms of BOS. Co-existence of PTSD and BOS has a dramatic effect on work and nonwork related activities and perceptions.
Mealer
Meredith
M
Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado 80045, USA. Meredith.Mealer@UCDenver.edu
Burnham
Ellen L
EL
Goode
Colleen J
CJ
Rothbaum
Barbara
B
Moss
Marc
M
D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D003120:Colorado; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000523:psychology; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations; D012931:Social Environment; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D014193:Trauma Centers