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Comparison of experienced burnout symptoms in specialist oncology nurses working in hospital oncology units or in hospices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 September 2010

Luca Ostacoli ,
Marco Cavallo ,
Marco Zuffranieri ,
Manuela Negro ,
Erica Sguazzotti ,
Rocco Luigi Picci ,
Patrizia Tempia ,
Pietro La Ciura  and
Pier Maria Furlan
Luca Ostacoli
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, “San Luigi Gonzaga” Hospital Medical School, The University of Turin, Turin, Italy
Marco Cavallo*
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, “San Luigi Gonzaga” Hospital Medical School, The University of Turin, Turin, Italy Department of Medical Sciences, “Amedeo Avogadro” University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
Marco Zuffranieri
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, “San Luigi Gonzaga” Hospital Medical School, The University of Turin, Turin, Italy
Manuela Negro
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, “San Luigi Gonzaga” Hospital Medical School, The University of Turin, Turin, Italy
Erica Sguazzotti
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, “San Luigi Gonzaga” Hospital Medical School, The University of Turin, Turin, Italy
Rocco Luigi Picci
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, “San Luigi Gonzaga” Hospital Medical School, The University of Turin, Turin, Italy
Patrizia Tempia
Affiliation:
Clinical Psychology Unit, Biella, Italy
Pietro La Ciura
Affiliation:
Palliative Care Unit, Cuneo, Italy
Pier Maria Furlan
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, “San Luigi Gonzaga” Hospital Medical School, The University of Turin, Turin, Italy
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Marco Cavallo, Department of Mental Health, “San Luigi Gonzaga” Hospital, The University of Turin, S.C.D.U. of Psychiatry - Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy. E-mail: marcocavallo79@libero.it
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Abstract

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.

Method:

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.

Significance of results:

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.

Keywords

BurnoutHospitalHospiceNurseOncology
Type
Original Articles
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , December 2010 , pp. 427 - 432
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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