Abstract:
Introduction
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Department are more stressful areas therefore
nurses in those areas are prone to high level of burnout than others. In Rwanda, studies on
prevalence of burnout among nurses are limited and there is no research targeting specifically
nurses working in ICU and Emergency Department. Burnout among nurses had effects not
only on nurses themselves but also patients receiving care. Therefore, this study aims to
assess the level of burnout and perceived effets on patient care among nurses working in ICU
and Emergency Department at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali.
Methods
A mixed method approach was adopted.A sequential explanatory design was used. Sixty
nurses were involved in the study and they were selected using a total population sampling.
Purposive sampling strategy was used to select participants for the focus group discussions. A
self administered questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Service Survey were
used to collect quantitative data and two focus groups were conducted for qualitative data.
Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 21.0 and qualitative data were analysed
using a thematic analysis.
Results
The study found high level of burnout (61.7%) among the participants under study..High
workload and intention to leave were associated with burnout (P<0.05).Burnout was
measured by high Emotional Exhaustion(EE) which rated at 29(48.3%), high
Depersonalization(DP) at 15(25%) and low Personal Accomplishment (PA) at 30 (50%).
Participants of this study agreed that burnout compromises patient care to a certain degree
though they make great efforts to avoid affecting patients.
Conclusion
The high level of burnout identified among ICU and Emergency Departement nurses is
mainly associated with high workload and intention to leave the work within the next 12
months.Patients are affected when nurses are burned out therefore measures have to be put in
place to manage and prevent burnout among nurses.
