BURNOUT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING AMONG NURSES IN MURANG’A COUNTY, KENYA: A CORRELATIONAL STUDY.

Wairimu J.K.,  Nyagwencha S., Maina N.R.

Wairimu J.K., Nyagwencha S., Maina N.R. United States International University-Africa, Kenya School of Government, Nairobi, Kenya

Keywords: Words: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, Reduced Personal Achievement, Psychological Wellbeing, County Public Hospitals

Abstract

Burnout is a major health hazard that puts the general wellbeing of nurses at risk. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between burnout and psychological wellbeing of nurses in Murang’a County public hospitals. The aim of this study was to examine the interplay between burnout and psychological wellbeing of general ward nurses in government hospitals. The study was informed by the multidimensional theory of burnout and the theory of psychological wellbeing. The study applied a correlational design as the framework of operation and was conducted in Murang’a County. Purposive sampling and simple random sampling methods was used to select 230 participants for the study. Ethical approval was obtained and data collected from the sampled facilities using the Maslach Burnout Inventory for Medical Personnel and the Psychological Wellbeing Scale. Data was analysed using mean, percentages, standard deviation and Pearson product moment correlation. The study adhered to ethical standards in order to protect participants from any harm. There was a significant correlation between burnout and psychological wellbeing (r[205]= -0.384, p = .000), implying that high levels of burnout translated to low levels of psychological wellbeing and vice versa. The study findings may inform policies on burnout management among nurses in public hospitals and county health boards. Predictive studies may be conducted to ascertain the causal relationship between burnout and psychological wellbeing.