(2147) BURNOUT IN PORTUGUESE NURSES: IMPLICATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING PREVENTIVE AND EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES

摘要

Introduction: Burnout syndrome, defined by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personalfulfillment, refers to a professional's state of chronic physical and emotional fatigue, which maycompromise the functioning of organizations. The aim of this study is to look into burnout syndrome innurses employed in Portuguese health services, specifically in specialist nurses who work inrehabilitation nursing, aimed at patients with cardio-respiratory, neurological and musculoskeletaldisorders.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational and quantitative study, in which117 specialist nurses in rehabilitation nursing participated. They were mostly female (76.9%), married(60%), with over 15 years of professional experience (48.7%), and aged between 27 and 57 years(M=41.68 years SD=0.67). To measure the variables, we used the following instruments: the MaslachBurnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson, 1981); the General Job Satisfaction Scale (Barton et al.,1992);RSES - The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1989).Results: The results obtained from the Maslach Burnout Inventory indicated the absence of burnoutsyndrome. There are medium burnout levels, sustained by the low scores obtained in the dimension“emotional exhaustion” (<11.7); the average scores in the dimension “depersonalization” (<8.7) andhigh scores in the dimension “personal/professional fulfillment” (<30.10).With regard to the effect of some variables, we find that: (i) age showed no significant correlations withany of the dimensions; (ii) the same happened for academic degree and sex; (iii) as regards length ofprofessional experience in the field, it was found that there are significant differences only foremotional exhaustion; that is, the current trend is that nurses with less experience are more prone tohigher burnout scores; (iv) with respect to the type of contractual relationship with the healthorganization where they work no significant correlations were found in any of the dimensions.However, as regards the type of timetable practiced, it was found that there are significant effects onthe dimension “personal/professional fulfillment”, which showed a tendency for higher scores fornurses who pursue fixed working hours and not by turnovers; (v) there is also a significant relationshipbetween the variable self-esteem and all of the dimensions of the Burnout Inventory.Conclusion: Based on the assumption that the burnout phenomenon may not only be seen as anindividual problem but primarily as an organizational problem, it is important that health organizationsbe aware of the vulnerability for this type of problem among nurses, enhanced by the type of work theyperform. It is, therefore, desirable to be alert and to use preventive and educational strategies to copewith burnout when it appears.