Burnout and Coping Strategies among Nurses Treating HIV/AIDS, Cancer and General Patients

Abstract

The extent to which the severity of life threatening ailments of patients and their demands of fulfilling health care requirements affect the psychological well being of nursing professionals has been a major concern of health care administrators. The working environment of health care providers in hospital settings treating severe illness such as HIV/AIDS, Cancer is more vulnerable and more likely to have exposure of viral infection leading to have physical and psychological distress. Exhibiting Burn-out Syndrome has been a more significant problem among the nursing professionals due to prolonged exposure of such occupational stress. Further, the type of coping strategies adopted by them may moderate the ill-effects of occupational stress. A sample of 150 nurses who are providing health care services to treat three types of ailments (HIV/AIDS, Cancer and General Patients) were approached to provide date on Burn-out Syndrome and Coping Strategies using a standardized questionnaires. The results of ANOVA revealed that Burnout Syndrome dimensions such as Emotional Exhaustion and Personal Accomplishment are more significantly higher among those nurses who are treating HIV/AIDS than nurses treating Cancer and General Patients. The key dimensions of coping strategies such as Putting into Perspective, Catastrophizing and Others Blame are significantly contribute to cope from burnout syndromes. The practical implication of results and intervention strategies are discussed.

View PDF