Relationship among Nurses Role Overload.

ABSTRACT

Aim: was to investigate relationship among nurses role overload , burnout and managerial coping strategies at Intensive Care Units in Assiut University Hospital Se� ing & Subjects: Included all nurses working in Causality, General & Postoperative Intensive Care Units and Coronary Care Unit in Assiut University Hospital:. Tools: Four tools which includes Socio-demographic data sheet, role overload questionnaire, managerial coping strategies & burnout questionnaires. Results: Showed that role overload had highest mean score in General and Casuality ICUs. In addition, coping strategies had highest mean scores of rational problem solving , resigned distancing, and seeking support/ ventilation in Casuality and post operative ICUs respectively except passive wishful thinking had highest mean scores in General and Casuality ICUs respectively. Also, burnout had highest mean scores in post operative and general ICU. Conclusions: Nurses employed at ICUs in Assiut University Hospital reported high burnout and use managerial coping strategies as rational problem solving, resigned distancing, seeking support/ventilation and passive wishful thinking to handle burnout and role overload except passive wishful thinking coping strategy not used with role overload.

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Keywords: Coping strategies, nurses, role overload, burnout, Intensive Care Units.

INTRODUCTION

Nurses having an important role in the health care system. They are considered to be members of a stressful job as a profession because they care for a stressful group comprising patients or those at health risk(1). When a professional is aff ected by burnout they feel drained and used up and have li� le desire to return to work the next day. It is generally perceived that Intensive Care Nurses are particularly exposed to burnout since they literally deal with life and death situations most of the time. Therefore, it is suggested that nurses comprise the group that experiences the maximum stress, and burnout among health professionals. Burnout syndrome often occurs as a result of chronic work stress seen in Intensive Care Units (2).

Burnout as a phenomenon is defi ned as “a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, cynicism and reduced professional effi cacy”. Researches suggest that burnout contributed to job stressors is associated with a negative outcome in both individuals and organizations (3).

Coping behavior is a constantly changing cognitive and behavioral eff orts to manage specifi c external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of the person. Coping behavior aff ects well-being and adaptation. There is a growing understanding that coping strategies, play an important role in infl uencing the tangible and intangible outcomes of the stressor (4).

Coping strategies may have a moderating eff ect on the relationship between the stressor and its consequential strain. Role overload may be regarded as a form of stressor, and burnout is one relevant stress reaction (i.e. strain), coping strategies are therefore likely to have a moderating eff ect on the relationship between role overload and burnout (5).

Signifi cance of the study

Nursing is a sensitive job which includes communicating with patients and caring after them. The provision of Intensive Care can lead to a health care provider’s physical, psychological and emotional exhaustion, which may develop into burnout.