Introduction
The phenomenon of workplace burnout has become disturbingly common in nurses over the past decade. The observed issue can be partially attributed to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a massive increase in the amount and intensity of workload in the nursing environment (Diehl et al., 2021). However, the problem of professional burnout in nurses had already been established as a serious concern before the pandemic developed (Diehl et al., 2021). Therefore, the problem at hand can be considered a complicated concern that requires elaborate research and a meticais analysis. This paper will consider two of the most relevant studies addressing the problem of professional burnout syndrome (PBS) in nurses. Since the studies in question offer unique and complex insights into the nature and development of PSB in nurses, they should be seen as critical contributions to the further evaluation and development of solutions.
PICOT Question
In nurses with higher workloads, how do psychological interventions to cope with stress versus communication skills development affect the severity of professional burnout syndrome for a year?
Analysis
Background
Both the study by Diehl et al. (2021) and Mudallal et al. (2017) seek to examine the nature and leading causes of PBS in nurses. Specifically, the studies aim to reexamine the problem of workplace burnout in the nursing context, identifying the issues that are likely to be the leading causes of the subject matter. Additionally, both studies offer suitable solutions for managing the problem of PBS in the target demographic. Thus, the purpose of the articles in question is to explore the issue of PBS from respective angles, providing a commentary on the subject matter and offering a reasonable solution. Each of the studies asks a unique research question. Specifically, Diehl et al. (2021) question whether there is a connection between the level and extent of workload and the rates of burnout in nurses. In turn, Mudallal et al. (2017) seek to answer the question of whether proper leadership affects the extent of workplace burnout rates in nurses.
Support
The articles in question are linked to the PICOT question stated above directly. Namely, the paper by Diehl et al. (2021) allows the discovery of the nature of PBS in nurses, therefore, pointing to further opportunities for managing it. As a result, the outcomes of the research by Diehl et al. (2021) covertly point to the possible efficacy of psychological interventions as a solution for the PBS issue. Similarly, the research by Mudallal et al. (2017) introduces possible solutions in the form of changes in the leadership framework. Therefore, the connection between the themes of the articles and the PICOT question is obvious. Furthermore, the interventions offered in the specified studies echo the ones mentioned in the PICOT question. Namely, changes in the leadership framework described by Mudallal et al. (2017) could be seen as a form of psychological intervention, whereas the outcomes of Diehl et al.’s (2021) paper insist on revisiting the approach to the use and allocation of resources.
Similarly, the interventions and comparison groups in the identified studies share quite a range of similarities with the ones selected for this research. Specifically, the integration of a different leadership framework that Mudallal et al. (2017) propose can be regarded as similar to the concept of a psychological strategy. However, the reconsideration of the resource management strategy that Diehl et al. (2021) offer is quite different from the straightforward idea of integrating a psychological therapy framework. In turn, comparison groups are similar to those of this research, comprising mainly of nurses working in a healthcare facility.
Methods
In their research, Diehl et al. have chosen to use an exploratory cross-sectional design, which is almost identical to the one used by Mudallal et al. (2017), namely, a “cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational design” (p. 3). Therefore, the choice of the methodological approach is quite similar in the two articles. The opportunity to take complete control over measurement represents the core advantage of the specified research design. Namely, it provides full control over the measurement framework, thus, allowing researchers to collect an ample amount of data. However, the integration of the cross-sectional strategy implies the increased probability of a researcher integrating a subjective perspective toward the analysis of the data (Diehl et al., 2021). Therefore, the risks of obtaining skewed results can be considered higher than the ones observed in studies based on other research designs.
Results
The studies under analysis illustrate the vast opportunities for addressing the problem of PBS in nurses. Specifically, the paper by Diehl et al. (2021) demonstrates the significance of resources’ availability in a nursing workplace setting as the basis for minimizing the risk of burnout. Namely, the study confirms that the extent, specifically, duration and intensity, of palliative care represents one of the critical factors in the development of PBS in nurses (Diehl et al., 2021).in turn, Mudallal et al. (2017) insist that tools and strategies based on self-scheduling and the relevant approaches contribute to a drop in PBS in nurses. The specified research outcomes introduce crucial implications for the nursing workplace environment, namely, the role of proper leadership and the focus on self-management as the means of containing and minimizing the levels of PBS development in the staff.
The results are especially important for this study since they shed light on the available approaches to preventing the issue of PBS from emerging in the nursing environment. Moreover, both authors provide detailed information regarding the management of PBS and the problem of workplace burnout, in general. The combination of the two perspectives linked to the psychological framework for overcoming PBS-related issues provides a substantial basis for further analysis.
Ethics
The main ethical considerations associated with conducting the studies in question are participants’ confidentiality and the presence of informed consent. Both studies address the specified concerns accordingly, ensuring that the people involved in the study are aware of the goals and nature of the study and that their personal data is protected. Therefore, the core ethical consideration is addressed properly. Specifically, the studies in question have considered the issue of participant confidentiality and consent seriously by ensuring that all subjects of their research are provided with detailed information regarding the nature and goals of the studies.
Conclusion
Being ride with unique and critical observations regarding the issue of BPS in nurses, the studies under analysis must be recognized as essential contributors to the further discussion and management of the issue under analysis. Specifically, both articles reviewed above provide insightful commentaries concerning the phenomenon of PBS in nurses, as well as the accompanying issues. More importantly, both articles detail the factors that shape the current rates of PBS in the nursing staff, emphasizing the role that the pandemic and the associated lack of resources have played in the development of PBS in nursing experts. Most significantly, the studies confirm the solvability of the issue, specifying that the introduction of strategies geared toward more rational management of the available resources will help address the concern at hand.
References
Diehl, E., Rieger, S., Letzel, S., Schablon, A., Nienhaus, A., Escobar Pinzon, L. C., & Dietz, P. (2021). The relationship between workload and burnout among nurses: The buffering role of personal, social and organisational resources. PloS One, 16(1), 1-17. Web.
Mudallal, R. H., Othman, W. A. M., & Al Hassan, N. F. (2017). Nurses’ burnout: the influence of leader empowering behaviors, work conditions, and demographic traits. The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 54, 1-10. Web.