Emergency Nurses' Professional Quality of Life: Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress / 간호행정학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Professional quality of life is the quality one feels in relation to their work as a helper. The purpose of this study was to describe professional quality of life among emergency nurses. METHODS: A total of 15 emergency rooms were selected in three cities. Among 263 nurses working at these emergency rooms, 178 nurses consented to participate in this cross-sectional survey. Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) Scale version 5 was used to measure compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Cluster analysis was used to classify nurses according to professional quality of life. RESULTS: The mean scores (SD) for compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress were 32.12 (5.45), 28.27 (4.28), and 28.20 (5.07), respectively. The result of cluster analysis according to standardized score of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress yielded three clusters. Over 50% of participants showed low professional quality of life. Nurses who were included in a cluster representing low professional quality of life were younger, had shorter periods of nursing experience, and perceivedlower social support than other cluster. CONCLUSION: Education or support programs for emergency nurses are needed to enhance their professional quality of life.