The Effect of Burnout and Moral Sensitivity Levels of Surgical Unit Nurses on Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose: This study was carried out to determine the effect of burnout and moral sensitivity levels of surgical unit nurses on their job satisfaction.

Design: A descriptive and correlational design study.

Methods: The population consisted of 268 nurses working in health institutions in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. The data were collected online between 1 and 30 April, 2022 using a sociodemographic data form, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale, and the Moral Sensitivity Scale. Pearson correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the data.

Findings: The nurses' moral sensitivity scale mean score was 105.2 ± 18.8, and the Minnesota job satisfaction scale mean score was 3.3 ± 0.7. The participants' mean emotional exhaustion score was 25.4 ± 7.3, the depersonalization score average was 15.7 ± 4.6, and the personal accomplishment mean score was 20.5 ± 6.7. The factors affecting the job satisfaction of nurses were found to be moral sensitivity, personal accomplishment, and satisfaction with the unit they worked.

Conclusions: Nurses had high levels of burnout due to emotional exhaustion, one of the subdimensions of burnout, and moderate levels of burnout due to depersonalization and personal accomplishment. The moral sensitivity and job satisfaction of nurses are moderate. As the nurses' accomplishment and ethical sensitivity levels increased and their emotional exhaustion levels decreased, their job satisfaction levels increased.