Burnout syndrome among nurses in a university hospital

Abstract

Objective: To identify burnout syndrome levels among nurses at a university hospital. Method: A cross-sectional study conducted in a university hospital in southern Brazil, with 106 nurses. Data was collected through a questionnaire composed of two self-answered instruments: Personal and professional characterization form and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results: The nurses participating in the study presented moderate burnout levels for the three subscales: Emotional exhaustion (21.9±5.0), depersonalization (8.1±2.6) and personal fulfillment (30.4±3.2). The nurses working in the surgical center had a high rate on the emotional exhaustion subscale. Conclusion: A moderate level of burnout was identified among the nurses working in a university hospital for the three subscales: Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal fulfillment. No significant differences were identified among the burnout mean values and the socio-professional characteristics of the participants, or among the hospital sectors.