Work stress, psychological inflexibility and burn out among nurses

Abstract

Nurses play a critical role in delivering quality healthcare but they frequently experience high levels of work stress, which can eventually lead to burnout. Psychological inflexibility, the inability to adapt to changing demands and stressors, has been identified as a potential factor that may influence the relationship between work stress and burnout. However, limited research has been conducted among nurses in Uganda about the significance of understanding this relationship. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between work stress, psychological inflexibility, and burnout among nurses at Lubaga hospital and at the same time explore the potential moderating role of psychological inflexibility. A cross-sectional design was used and data was collected using self-report questionnaires. The sample consisted of 127 nurses working at Lubaga hospital, and a simple random sampling technique was utilized. The Perceived Stress Scale-10, the Work Action and Acceptance Questionnaire, and the ShiromMelamed Burnout Measure were used to measure work stress, psychological inflexibility, and burnout, respectively. Data was analyzed using Pearson‘s Product Correlation Co-efficient(r) and the fourth hypothesis was analyzed using Hayes‘s Process Macro (Version 4.1).Results revealed that higher levels of work stress were associated with increased burnout ( r (125) = .218, p < .01) and psychological inflexibility was also significantly associated with work stress(r (125) = .269, p < .05). Burnout was associated with psychological inflexibility(r (125) = .226, p < .05) while psychological inflexibility moderated the relationship between work stress and burnout among nurses (B= -.052,P=.0435) .These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of these variables and further provide significant insights for healthcare organizations to develop interventions and support systems that mitigate work stress and prevent burnout among nurses. This will improve both nurse well-being and patient care outcomes.