The relationship between UK hospital nurse staffing and emotional exhaustion and job dissatisfaction

Louisa Sheward, Jennifer Hunt*, Suzanne Hagen, Margaret Macleod, Jane Ball

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

82 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

AIM: To explore the relationship between nurse outcomes (dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion) and nurse workload, nurse characteristics and hospital variables.

BACKGROUND: Concern about the impact of restructuring of nurse staffing, and reports of nurse shortages, on nurse and patient outcomes led to the research being reported on in this article.

METHODS: A questionnaire survey of registered nurses in Scotland and England. A questionnaire survey of the hospitals in which these nurses worked.

RESULTS: Respondents in the two countries were similar in terms of demographic, work and employment characteristics. Significant relationships were found using the combined English and Scottish data between nurse patient ratios and (1) emotional exhaustion and (2) dissatisfaction with current job reported by nurses.

CONCLUSIONS: Increasing numbers of patients to nurses was associated with increasing risk of emotional exhaustion and dissatisfaction with current job.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)51-60
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Nursing Management
Volume13
Issue number1
Early online date21 Dec 2004
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2005

Keywords

  • nursing
  • outcomes
  • staffing
  • survey

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