Burning out physical and emotional fatigue: Evaluating the effects of a programme aimed at reducing burnout among mental health nurses.

Burnout is a common problem among mental health nurses. High levels of burnout result in job dissatisfaction, rapid turnover of staff, physical and psychological discomfort, and a reduction in the quality of patient care. While there is an abundance of research relating to burnout per se, research regarding the impact of burnout prevention programmes is lacking. This study aimed to measure the effects of a burnout prevention programme on mental health nurses working in Saudi Arabia (SA). A quasi-experimental design was used to test the effectiveness of a two-day burnout prevention workshop. The sample consisted of an intervention group (n = 154) and a control group (n = 142). Data collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) measured the effects of the workshop at 1-, 3-, and 6-month intervals after completion of the programme. Data were analysed using the latest version of SPSS. Means, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages were used to describe the sample and levels of burnout. A t-test, ANOVA, multiple linear regression, and chi-squared were used to measure the effect of the workshop before and at the three time points after exposure. Findings indicate the programme was effective with a significant reduction being reported 1 month after the intervention. However, although not returning to baseline scores, burnout scores had increased at 6 months. In conclusion, while the overall efficacy of the burnout reduction programme is evident, mental health nurses would benefit from having opportunity to use some of the strategies on a regular basis.