Occurrence of stress and burnout among nurses employed in a psychiatric hospital and a somatic hospital—A comparative analysis (Nursing Workload KEGA č. 011KU-4/2024)

Abstract

Work-related stress has been linked to various negative outcomes among healthcare professionals. For nurses, stress can arise from numerous sources, including their interactions with patients. It is often perceived that nurses working in psychiatric hospitals experience greater stress and occupational burnout compared to nurses working in somatic hospitals. However, there is limited research addressing this specific issue. To bridge this gap, a study was conducted to compare the stress levels of nurses working in a psychiatric hospital and a somatic hospital within the same city. Background/Objectives: The aim of this paper was to report on the prevalence of stress and burnout among surveyed nurses employed in a somatic hospital and in a psychiatric hospital. Methods: The study group consisted of a total of 379 nurses—189 employed at a somatic hospital and 190 employed at a psychiatric hospital. The primary test used for statistical analyses was the nonparametric Mann–Whitney U test for assessing differences. Additionally, correlations between ordinal or quantitative variables were analyzed using Spearman’s rho coefficient. Results: Among respondents working at a somatic hospital, the average levels of occupational burnout, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and sense of personal accomplishment were moderate. Similar results were observed among respondents employed at a psychiatric hospital. Conclusions: The workplace does not significantly differentiate professional burnout or coping strategies among the nurses surveyed. Among nurses working in hospitals for somatic patients, levels of depersonalization, turning to religion, and seeking support increase with age and seniority. In contrast, psychiatric nurses show higher levels of emotional exhaustion and overall MBI burnout as they age.