Job burnout and quality of working life among Chinese nurses: A cross‐sectional study

• Published in: Journal of nursing management Vol. 27; no. 8; pp. 1835 - 1844
• Main Authors: Wang, Qing‐Qing, Lv, Wen‐Jun, Qian, Rui‐Lian, Zhang, Yan‐Hong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Hindawi Limited 01-11-2019
• Subjects: Adult; Burnout; Burnout, Professional - complications; Burnout, Professional - psychology; China; Compensation; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demography; Female; Humans; influencing factors; job burnout; Male; nurse; Nurse managers; Nurses; Nurses - psychology; Nurses - statistics & numerical data; Nursing; Nursing administration; Psychometrics - instrumentation; Psychometrics - methods; Quality; Quality of care; Quality of Health Care - standards; Quality of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Quality of life; quality of working life; Questionnaires; Self Report; Shiftwork; Staffing; Surveys and Questionnaires; Work-Life Balance; Working conditions; Workplace - psychology; Workplace - standards; China; influencing factors; nurse; job burnout; quality of working life
• ISSN: 0966-0429; 1365-2834
• DOI: 10.1111/jonm.12884

Aim
To explore the relationship between job burnout and quality of working life, and identify influencing factors of nurses' quality of working life.
Background
Understanding the influencing factors of quality of working life is important to improve nursing retention strategies. Job burnout can negatively influence work efficiency and quality of work. However, studies examining the association between the two remain limited.
Methods
The cross‐sectional survey of 2,504 nurses was performed in Eastern China. Nurses were invited to complete self‐report questionnaires online. The collected data were analysed using Pearson's correlation and multiple regression.
Results
About 64.0% of nurses experienced job burnout, and their quality of working life was at a moderate level. Job burnout, hospital level, age, income, night shift and patient‐to‐nurse ratio were significant factors of quality of working life.
Conclusion
Job burnout has a negative effect on nurses' quality of working life. Some demographic and work‐related factors should be considered when developing interventions to improve nurses' quality of working life.
Implications for Nursing Management
Hospital and nurses managers should develop strategies to reduce nurses' job burnout and enhance their quality of working life, such as optimum nurse staffing, offer reasonable pecuniary compensation and establish an appropriate shift work schedule.