The relationship between work-related psychosocial factors and burnout among Iranian nurses: Job Demand-Control-Support model

BACKGROUND: Nursing work environment consists of a number of work-related psychosocial risk factors such as excessive workloads, lack of social support, emotional demands, job insecurity and confronting with challenging situations all of which may induce burnout. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between work-related psychosocial factors and burnout among Iranian nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 522 nurses. The data related to work-related psychosocial factors and burnout was gathered using Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), respectively. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to examine the relationship between work-related psychosocial factors and burnout. RESULTS: Mean scores of the dimensions of burnout for emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment were 13.6 (SD=8.6), 18.42 (SD=7.1), and 28.45 (SD= 9.15), respectively. Psychological and physical job demands were positively correlated with different dimensions of burnout while social support and job control showed negative correlation with them. CONCLUSION: Appropriate interventions on reducing job demands both psychologically and physically and increasing social support and job control are suggested in prevention of burnout among the studied nurses.