A post pandemic intervention to reduce burnout in nurses in an acute care setting

Abstract

<div title="Page 4"> <div> <div> <p>Burnout in nurses has been an ongoing issue nationally and globally. Burnout is characterized by three dimensions of depersonalization, decreased personal accomplishment, and emotional exhaustion. High levels of nurse burnout have a detrimental effect on healthcare organizations. The impact of increasing rates of burnout in nurses in a healthcare organization includes increased nurse turnover, decreased patient satisfaction scores, higher odds of patient mortality, failure to rescue, and longer lengths of patient stays. Because of nurse burnout&rsquo;s effects on a healthcare organization and its patient population, raising awareness about burnout and how to reduce (or prevent) it for nurses is crucial. The purpose of the project was to determine in nurses working in an acute care setting how a positive psychology intervention (Three Good Things), compared with no positive psychology intervention, affects perceived burnout within a four- week period of time. Twenty employed nurses completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory survey. Ten of the nurses performed the Three Good Things intervention for four weeks. The Maslach Burnout Inventory survey was completed by all 20 nurses again. The pre/post survey data was compared for the intervention group and comparison group to determine the impact of the intervention. Inclusion criteria included full-time, employed registered nurses working on the medical/oncology unit and an adult intensive care unit of the hospital. The resultant data of a paired T-test determined a lack of statistical significance. The clinical significance is that any organization can implement the project on a broad scale with few physical or human resources to address burnout. Reducing nurse burnout can reduce nurse intention to leave, dramatically impacting an organization&rsquo;s budget.</p> </div> </div> </div>