The Association of Life Events Outside the Workplace and Burnout: A Cross-Sectional Study on Nursing Assistants

Abstract

Background: Burnout, by definition, is related to adverse chronic workplace stressors. Life events outside the workplace have been associated with an increased risk of psychiatric morbidity. However, it is unknown whether life events outside the workplace increase the severity of burnout. Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the association between burnout and life events outside the workplace in nursing assistants. Methods: In an observational, cross-sectional, single-site study of 521 nursing assistants at a university hospital, we assessed burnout with the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, and life events with the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. We constructed equations of multiple linear regression analyses that included each burnout subscale as the dependent variable and a domain of life events as the independent variable. Results were adjusted for potential confounders, including gender, no religion or faith, years of work, and depression. Results: An increase in the number of life events in the domain of personal changes or difficulties (e.g., personal injury or illness, sexual difficulties, change in recreation, church activities, social activities, sleeping habits, eating habits and revision of personal habits) was associated with increased severity of emotional exhaustion. An increase in the number of life events in the domain of changes in familial situation and in the domains of death of relatives or friends were associated with increased severity of depersonalization. Those associations were independent of work-related life events and other potential confounders. Conclusions: Life events outside the workplace may increase the levels of burnout in nursing assistants.

Individual and organizational factors influencing well-being and burnout amongst healthcare assistants: A systematic review

“…Four studies investigated the influence of familial, marital, or parental status, with variable results about subsequent influence on quality of life and burnout. One study found that an increased number of tragic family life events (e.g., death of a relative or friend) was associated with increased depersonalization while controlling for other work-related changes and individual confounders ( Tortorelli et al, 2022 ). In another study, Akram et al (2017) found a significant correlation between spousal employment and total perceived quality of life.…”

“… Blanco-Donoso et al (2021) found a significant interaction effect of daily depersonalization between daily work-family conflict and daily intention to leave one's job (β = 0.251, p < .01); as well as significant interaction effects with daily depersonalization and work-family conflict predicting daily vitality (β = -.526, p <.01). One study found no significant association between number of children and quality of life ( Tortorelli et al, 2022 ). In comparison, Ferriera and de Lucca (2015) found significant positive associations between depersonalization and having children or health problems.…”

Characteristics of Occupational Burnout among Nurses of Various Specialties and in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic—Review

“…The nurse works under strong and prolonged emotional tension [ 12 , 13 ]. In extreme situations, the lack of coping with stress, the characteristics and difficult of work in a given ward and the lack of team support lead to the formation of a burnout syndrome, which not only significantly reduces the quality of work, but also prevents nurses from further professional development [ 14 ]. Thus, in our manuscript, we conducted a review of studies on the prevalence and characteristics of burnout among nurses working in a neurology, geriatric, intensive care units and with patients infected with the COVID-19 virus.…”