Stress, Burnout, Social Support and General Health of Nurses in Intensive Care Unit

ABSTRACT

Background and Objectives: Nurses working in the intensive care unit (ICU) may be exposed toconsiderable stress. Gaps in research focusing on stress, burnout, social support and general health of nursesis evident within developing contexts like India. The study aim was to assess the level of and the relationshipbetween (1) stress, (2) burnout, (3) social support, & (4) general health of nurses working in intensive careunits.Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at ICUs at tertiary care hospitals, Indore. The self reportquestionnaire consisted of a demographic questionnaire, The Multidimensional scale of Perceived SocialSupport, The Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Perceived Stress Scale, and lastly the GeneralHealth Questionnaire. 115 of 186 (62%) answered the questionnaire.Results: The mean age of study subjects was 27 years (SD=4.85; n=111). Out of the total 71 were males,with mean age of 27.7 years, and 40 females with the mean age of 26.25 years. Mean Burnout score of totalstudy population was 30.27(SD=11.09; N=111). No significant difference in mean burnout scores of malesand females was found (p=0.960; t=0.0502; df=110). One-way ANOVA was done taking Burnout as afactor with 3 levels Higher mean GHQ-12 scores were seen in groups with higher burnout severity [F(2,108)=13.470; p<0.05]. GHQ-12 scores better predicted burn out than perceived stress and social support. But,people with high perceived stress had significantly lower social support mean scores [F (2,108) =6.17;p=0.0017]. Correlation between stress and burnout was insignificant.Conclusion: GHQ-12 scores better predicted burnout in ICU staff. Staff with higher stress levels had poorersocial-support