The Impact of Burnout on Emergency Nurses' Intent to Leave: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency nurses work in one of the busiest and most stressful departments in a hospital and, as such, may experience burnout more often than nurses working in other nursing units. This study examined the relationship among orientation, burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low sense of personal accomplishment), and intent to leave. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used. Emergency nurses who were members of the Emergency Nurses Association were invited to participate in an anonymous survey. The Maslach Burnout Inventory tool was used to explore emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and sense of personal accomplishment. Emergency nurses' intent to leave was assessed with the Turnover Intention Scale. A logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the odds of intent to leave for those who scored at or above versus below the median on each burnout subscale. RESULTS: The findings revealed that a formal orientation enhanced emergency nurses' sense of personal accomplishment and was associated with lower intent to leave. The odds of intent to leave were almost 9 times greater for participants with 5 or more years of experience, approximately 13 times greater for those with above-median emotional exhaustion, and more than 6 times lower for those with above-median sense of personal accomplishment. DISCUSSION: Emotional exhaustion and low sense of personal accomplishment were key factors influencing emergency nurses' intent to leave. Emergency nurse leaders may find that a formal orientation program enhances sense of personal accomplishment and decreases intent to leave. Creating work environments to help emergency nurses find joy in their work may be critical to work-life balance and staff retention.

The Effect of Nurse Practice Environment on Retention and Quality of Care via Burnout, Work Characteristics, and Resilience: A Moderated Mediation Model.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the influence of nurse work characteristics, resiliency, and burnout on retention, and patient quality and safety. BACKGROUND: With an ongoing nursing shortage, maintaining qualified nursing staff is critical. We explored the direct and indirect effects of practice environment, nurse work characteristics, and burnout on retention, and perceived quality and safety. METHODS: Responses from 507 RNs were collected via an anonymous online survey. Theorized relationships were explored via path analysis and invariance testing. RESULTS: Positive practice environment and favorable work characteristics lowered burnout and improved outcomes. The indirect effects of work characteristics and burnout were dependent upon individual level of resilience. Social capital minimized the effects of burnout for participants reporting below-average resilience. CONCLUSIONS: Leader support was critical in shaping positive perception of the practice environment. A nurse leader's visibility and actions impact intent to stay. Results of this study may inform healthcare systems struggling to retain a robust, engaged nursing workforce.