Work Environment, Job Satisfaction, Stress and Burnout Among Haemodialysis Nurses This article was authored by Hayes, Douglas, and Bonner and published in the Journal of Nursing Management in 2015. The article was selected as an example of the cross-sectional survey design.

Nursing work involves activities, tasks, and processes that may be a source of significant stress for nurses. This is particularly true for haemodialysis nurses. In the execution of their day-to-day duties, haemodialysis nurses interact with difficult patients. They also grapple with inadequate staffing, excessive workload, extended work schedules, short work breaks, as well as intricate interpersonal relationships with the other members of the multidisciplinary team. These factors may cause job stress, eventually resulting in burnout and job dissatisfaction. In some instances, the burnout may lead to turnover and even change of profession.

Statement of Purpose

The purposed of the study was to examine the perceptions of haemodialysis nurses in Australia and New Zealand about the work environment, job stress, burnout, and job satisfaction. The study also aimed to examine relationships between nurse characteristics, work environment attributes, work stress, job satisfaction, and burnout.

Research Question(s)/Hypothesis

Do characteristics of the individual and the work environment influence job stress, job satisfaction, and burnout in haemodialysis nurses?

Study Methods

The study took the form of a cross-sectional...

Following approval from the Federal Board of Renal Society of Australasia (RSA), the survey was administered online to 417 registered, full-time nurses working in haemodialysis units across Australia and New Zealand. Data was collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Nursing Stress Scale, the Index of Work Satisfaction, and the Brisbane Practice Environment Measure. The data encompassed five variables: demographic and work characteristics, work environment, job stress, job satisfaction, and burnout. The Statistical Package for Social Services (SPSS) was used to analyze the data.
Key Findings

Though participants reported a fairly adequate level of job satisfaction and identified their work environment as positive, there were elevated levels of burnout. The prevalence of burnout was particularly higher amongst younger participants and those who had a shorter working duration in the haemodialysis unit. In addition, a strong correlation was found between increased contentment with the job environment and satisfaction with work, psychological exhaustion, and work stress. Accordingly, it is imperative for measures aimed at reducing burnout among haemodialysis nurses to be put in place.

Hayes, B., Douglas, C., & Bonner, A. (2015). Work environment, job satisfaction, stress and burnout among haemodialysis nurses. Journal of Nursing Management, 23, 588-598.

Nurses…