Empowerment, stress vulnerability and burnout among Portuguese nursing staff

The work environment in Portuguese hospitals, characterized by economic cutbacks, can lead to higher levels of burnout experienced by nursing staff. Furthermore, vulnerability to stress can negatively affect the perception of burnout in the workplace. However, structural empowerment is an organizati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ciência & saude coletiva 2018-01, Vol.23 (1), p.259-266
Main Authors: Orgambídez-Ramos, Alejandro, Borrego-Alés, Yolanda, Ruiz-Frutos, Carlos
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Burnout, Professional - epidemiology
Female
Humans
Male
Nursing Staff - psychology
Portugal - epidemiology
Power (Psychology)
Regression Analysis
Stress, Psychological - epidemiology
Workplace
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The work environment in Portuguese hospitals, characterized by economic cutbacks, can lead to higher levels of burnout experienced by nursing staff. Furthermore, vulnerability to stress can negatively affect the perception of burnout in the workplace. However, structural empowerment is an organizational process that can prevent and decrease burnout among nurses. Consequently, the aim of the study was to examine to what extent structural empowerment and vulnerability to stress can play a predictive role in core burnout in a sample of Portuguese nurses. A convenience sample of 297 nursing staff members from Portuguese hospitals was used in this study. Core burnout was negatively and significantly related to all the dimensions of structural empowerment, and it was positively and significantly related to vulnerability to stress. Regression models showed that core burnout was significantly predicted by access to funds, access to opportunities and vulnerability to stress. Organizational administrations must make every effort in designing interventions focused on structural empowerment, as well as interventions focused on individual interventions that enhance skills for coping with stress.
ISSN:1678-4561
DOI:10.1590/1413-81232018231.15522015