Introduction
Stress and frustration can lead to āburnout,ā which is a state of emotional and physical exhaustion that is inescapable in the business world. It manifests itself in many undesirable ways, including but not limited to frequent displays of unprofessional behavior, a refusal to do any work, and a distinct aura of not caring enough to take action (Diehl et al., 2021). As a result of both the cause and impact of nurse burnout, the nursing profession may experience subpar performance. The nursing profession suffers greatly from chronic work-related stress, work overload, poor remuneration, inadequate staffing, and contradictory interpersonal interactions among nurses. Using the āResearch Critiques and PICOT Guidelines,ā this paper will seek to clarify the connection between the PICOT question, the examined research articles, and professional burnout syndrome (PBS). The high levels of stress and emotional exhaustion experienced by nurses lead to increased rates of professional burnout, which negatively impacts job satisfaction and increases turnover rates in the nursing profession.
PICOT Question
In nurses working in healthcare settings, how does the implementation of interventions aimed at preventing (PBS) compare to standard care in terms of reducing burnout symptoms and improving job satisfaction over a year?
Analysis
Background
In the selected articles, researchers looked into the personal and organizational elements that contribute to or alleviate burnout and the development of coping mechanisms and institutional solutions to address this problem. Specifically, the first article chosen is a review by Diehl et al. (2021), explored how nurses’ personal, social, and professional resources could either amplify or dampen the effects of their workload and, ultimately, burnout. The study aimed to contribute to understanding the factors that contribute to burnout in nurses and providing information that can be used to develop interventions to reduce burnout in this population.
The second article by Aryankhesal et al. (2019), gave an analysis of the published research on interventions that have been utilized to minimize burnout in medical professionals including physicians and nurses. The authors searched multiple databases to identify relevant studies and then used a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria to select the studies included in the review. Included in the review were studies that explored the effectiveness of interventions in lowering burnout rates among medical professionals and nursing personnel. It also examined the various types of interventions that have been used for this purpose (Aryankhesal et al., 2019). Overall, the article provides an overview of the current research on interventions for reducing burnout in healthcare professionals and highlights areas where further research is needed.
Support
The purpose of the PICOT question is to analyze the efficacy of coping mechanisms in preventing burnout from work-related stress. Diehl et al. (2021) article supports the PICOT topic by detailing the correlation between nurses’ workload and burnout, as well as the potential importance of nurses’ personal, social, and institutional resources in alleviating burnout symptoms. The study found that a high workload was associated with increased burnout symptoms and that personal, social, and organizational resources can act as a buffer against the negative effects of a high workload (Diehl et al., 2021). This supports the idea that interventions aimed at preventing (PBS), such as those that address workload and provide support for personal, social, and organizational resources, may be effective in reducing burnout symptoms. These interventions also focus on improving job satisfaction among nurses working in healthcare settings over one year.
Similarly, the article by Aryankhesal et al. (2019) supports the PICOT question by providing a comprehensive review of the existing literature on interventions aimed at preventing (PBS) in nurses working in healthcare settings. The study conducts a systematic review of articles that examine the effectiveness of various interventions, including mindfulness-based stress reduction, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and team-based interventions, in reducing burnout symptoms and improving job satisfaction among nurses (Aryankhesal et al., 2019). The study found that these interventions effectively reduced burnout symptoms and improved job satisfaction compared to standard care. The study also concluded that more research is needed to identify the most effective interventions for preventing burnout in nurses. The article thus provides evidence for the PICOT question by showing that interventions can effectively reduce burnout symptoms and improve job satisfaction in nurses working in healthcare settings over a year.
Methods
Diehl et al. (2021) used a sample of 551 nurses from Germany and analyzed data using multiple linear regression. On the other hand, the systematic review by Aryankhesal et al. (2019) included randomized controlled trials, quasi-randomized controlled trials, and non-randomized controlled trials published between January 1995 and December 2017. Data were extracted and analyzed using a narrative synthesis method. Both studies focus on burnout among healthcare professionals, but the methods used are different. For instance, Diehl et al. (2021) study is a cross-sectional study with a specific sample of nurses from Germany. The study by Aryankhesal et al. (2019) is a comprehensive analysis of therapeutic interventions for relieving medical professionals’ burnout. The first study analyzed how social, personal, and organizational resources can act as a buffer between heavy workloads and burnout. In contrast, the second study looked at the effectiveness of interventions in reducing burnout among healthcare professionals.
Results
Diehl et al. (2021) found that a high workload was associated with increased burnout. However, personal, social, and organizational resources, such as social support, self-esteem, and job control, could buffer the negative effects of a high workload on burnout. The study by Aryankhesal et al. (2019) was a systematic review of interventions to reduce burnout in physicians and nurses. The study found that interventions such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, cognitive behavioral therapy, and stress management training effectively reduced burnout and improved job satisfaction and well-being. The authors also found that multi-component interventions were generally more effective than single-component interventions (Mudallal et al., 2017). The study highlights that targeting the individual and organizational levels is important for reducing burnout in healthcare professionals.
Ethics
Several ethical concerns must be addressed before any research is done. The confidentiality of participants and obtaining their informed agreement are two of the most important ethical requirements for conducting these studies (Suri, 2020). The studies took these ethical considerations into account by obtaining institutional review board approval, obtaining written informed consent from participants, and taking measures to protect participantsā confidentiality during the research process. Therefore, the basic ethical issue has been adequately addressed. Specifically, the authors state that the institutional review board approved the study and that participants provided written informed consent (Diehl et al., 2021) and (Mudallal et al., 2017). Additionally, the authors mention that they took measures to protect participantsā confidentiality, such as removing identifying information from the data and using anonymous survey codes.
Conclusion
Since the effects of burnout on nurses can be long-lasting, rising stress levels should not be dismissed. One way to combat burnout is to talk to a trusted friend or family member about how you feel after a long day on the job. To reduce anxiety, try meditating or going for a run. The two articles highlight that burnout is a prevalent issue among healthcare workers, particularly nurses and physicians, and that it is important to address it effectively. Both studies have a cross-sectional design and are limited by a small sample size. However, they provide useful insights into the causes and potential solutions of burnout in healthcare workers.
References
Aryankhesal, A., Mohammadibakhsh, R., Hamidi, Y., Alidoost, S., Behzadifar, M., Sohrabi, R., & Farhadi, Z. (2019). Interventions on reducing burnout in physicians and nurses: A systematic review. Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 33, 77. Web.
Diehl, E., Rieger, S., Letzel, S., Schablon, A., Nienhaus, A., Escobar Pinzon, L. C., & Dietz, P. (2021). The relationship between workload and burnout among nurses: The buffering role of personal, social and organizational resources. PloS One, 16(1), 1-17. Web.
Suri, H. (2020). Ethical considerations of conducting systematic reviews in educational research. Systematic Reviews in Educational Research, 41-54. Web.