Factors Affecting Burnout among Tertiary Hospital Nurses during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine burnout and its related factors among nurses working at a tertiary hospital, who had experienced caring for patients with confirmed and suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including those with severe and critical conditions during the outbreak.Methods: Responses of 129 nurses, who worked in a tertiary hospital in Daegu, which was designated as a special control area for infectious disease in Korea, were analyzed. Data were collected from November 1, 2020 to December 14, 2020 using self-report questionnaires. Analysis was performed using t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression.Results: Burnout did not show any statistically significant differences in age, sex, marital status, total length of clinical experience, and the department at the time of caring for COVID-19 patients. Compassion fatigue, stress, depression, and anxiety were positively related with burnout, and compassion satisfaction was negatively related with burnout. In regression analysis, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and stress were confirmed as the predictive factors of burnout.Conclusion: The study results suggest that compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and stress could play an important role in reducing burnout among tertiary hospital nurses during infectious disease outbreaks.