Comparison of experienced burnout symptoms in specialist oncology nurses working in hospital oncology units or in hospices.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to clarify the differential contributions of situational and individual factors to burnout symptoms experienced by two independent groups of specialist oncology nurses working in oncology hospital units or in hospices.


METHODS
The study involved a group of specialist oncology nurses working in hospital oncology units (n = 59) and a group of specialist oncology nurses working in hospices (n = 33). Participants were invited to provide demographic data, and indicate the clinical setting in which they worked and their work experience; the Italian versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) (a measure of burnout symptoms), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (a measure of anxiety and depression), and the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) (a measure of relational style) were then administered.


RESULTS
The two groups of nurses were well matched for age, work experience, and levels of anxiety and depression. Regarding their relational style, the two groups only differed significantly on two subscales of the ASQ (i.e. "Confidence" and "Relationships as Secondary"). The two groups significantly differed in the levels of all burnout symptoms investigated (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal achievement), with nurses working in hospital units showing higher levels of burnout symptoms. Interestingly, multivariate regression analyses showed that the institutional factor (clinical setting in which nurses worked) clearly emerged as the only factor that influenced the level of all burnout symptoms, whereas the contribution of individual factors was less significant.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings help to clarify the differential contributions of institutional and individual factors to burnout symptoms in specialist oncology nurses, and corroborate the need for interventions to contain nurses' burnout symptoms.
Ostacoli
Luca
L
Department of Mental Health, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital Medical School, The University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Cavallo
Marco
M
Zuffranieri
Marco
M
Negro
Manuela
M
Sguazzotti
Erica
E
Picci
Rocco Luigi
RL
Tempia
Patrizia
P
La Ciura
Pietro
P
Furlan
Pier Maria
PM
D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D003861:Depersonalization / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006738:Hospices; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*