Burnout and Resilience Among Nurses Practicing in High-Intensity Settings

Healthy Work Environments| September 01 2015 Burnout and Resilience Among Nurses Practicing in High-Intensity Settings CE Article Cynda Hylton Rushton, RN, PhD; Cynda Hylton Rushton, RN, PhD Cynda Hylton Rushton is the Anne and George Bunting Professor of Clinical Ethics, a professor of nursing and pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University, Berman Institute of Bioethics and School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland. Joyce Batcheller is president, CNO Solutions, Austin, Texas, and former senior vice president/systems chief nursing officer, Seton Healthcare Network, Austin, Texas. Kaia Schroeder is a former staff educator in critical care, Seton Healthcare Network. Pamela Donohue is an associate professor in pediatrics and director of clinical research, Division of Neonatology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, and Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children's Center, Baltimore, Maryland. Corresponding author: Cynda Hylton Rushton, rn, phd, faan, Berman Institute of Bioethics, 1809 Ashland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21205 (e-mail: crushto1@jhu.edu). Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Joyce Batcheller, RN, DNP, NEA-BC; Joyce Batcheller, RN, DNP, NEA-BC Cynda Hylton Rushton is the Anne and George Bunting Professor of Clinical Ethics, a professor of nursing and pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University, Berman Institute of Bioethics and School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland. Joyce Batcheller is president, CNO Solutions, Austin, Texas, and former senior vice president/systems chief nursing officer, Seton Healthcare Network, Austin, Texas. Kaia Schroeder is a former staff educator in critical care, Seton Healthcare Network. Pamela Donohue is an associate professor in pediatrics and director of clinical research, Division of Neonatology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, and Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children's Center, Baltimore, Maryland. Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Kaia Schroeder, RN, BSN; Kaia Schroeder, RN, BSN Cynda Hylton Rushton is the Anne and George Bunting Professor of Clinical Ethics, a professor of nursing and pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University, Berman Institute of Bioethics and School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland. Joyce Batcheller is president, CNO Solutions, Austin, Texas, and former senior vice president/systems chief nursing officer, Seton Healthcare Network, Austin, Texas. Kaia Schroeder is a former staff educator in critical care, Seton Healthcare Network. Pamela Donohue is an associate professor in pediatrics and director of clinical research, Division of Neonatology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, and Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children's Center, Baltimore, Maryland. Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Pamela Donohue, ScD Pamela Donohue, ScD Cynda Hylton Rushton is the Anne and George Bunting Professor of Clinical Ethics, a professor of nursing and pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University, Berman Institute of Bioethics and School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland. Joyce Batcheller is president, CNO Solutions, Austin, Texas, and former senior vice president/systems chief nursing officer, Seton Healthcare Network, Austin, Texas. Kaia Schroeder is a former staff educator in critical care, Seton Healthcare Network. Pamela Donohue is an associate professor in pediatrics and director of clinical research, Division of Neonatology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, and Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children's Center, Baltimore, Maryland. Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Am J Crit Care (2015) 24 (5): 412–420. https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2015291 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Cite Icon Cite Get Permissions Citation Cynda Hylton Rushton, Joyce Batcheller, Kaia Schroeder, Pamela Donohue; Burnout and Resilience Among Nurses Practicing in High-Intensity Settings. Am J Crit Care 1 September 2015; 24 (5): 412–420. doi: https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2015291 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAmerican Journal of Critical Care Search Advanced Search BackgroundThe high level of stress experienced by nurses leads to moral distress, burnout, and a host of detrimental effects.ObjectivesTo support creation of healthy work environments and to design a 2-phase project to enhance nurses' resilience while improving retention and reducing turnover.MethodsIn phase 1, a cross-sectional survey was used to characterize the experiences of a high-stress nursing cohort. A total of 114 nurses in 6 high-intensity units completed 6 survey tools to assess the nurses' characteristics as the context for burnout and to explore factors involved in burnout, moral distress, and resilience. Statistical analysis was used to determine associations between scale measures and to identify independent variables related to burnout.ResultsMoral distress was a significant predictor of all 3 aspects of burnout, and the association between burnout and resilience was strong. Greater resilience protected nurses from emotional exhaustion and contributed to personal accomplishment. Spiritual well-being reduced emotional exhaustion and depersonalization; physical well-being was associated with personal accomplishment. Meaning in patient care and hope were independent predictors of burnout. Higher levels of resilience were associated with increased hope and reduced stress. Resilience scores were relatively flat over years of experience.ConclusionsThese findings provide the basis for an experimental intervention in phase 2, which is designed to help participants cultivate strategies and practices for renewal, including mindfulness practices and personal resilience plans. ©2015 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses2015 You do not currently have access to this content.