Effective interventions to reduce burnout in nurses: A meta-analysis

Mike Musker; Shwikar Othman

doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2023.101827

Effective interventions to reduce burnout in nurses: A meta-analysis

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2024 Feb:54:101827. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2023.101827. Epub 2023 Dec 30.

Authors

Mike Musker¹, Shwikar Othman²

Affiliations

¹ UniSA, Clinical & Health Sciences, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Research and Education Group, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. Electronic address: mike.musker@unisa.edu.au.
² Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, Population Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. Electronic address: shwikar.othman@sahmri.com.

PMID: 38181650
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2023.101827

Abstract

Background: To examine the effectiveness of interventions to ameliorate burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and emotional exhaustion in nurses and midwives. The systematic review was completed with all available studies that reported data on the effect of interventions that targeted burnout using the outcome measures of the Professional Quality of Life scale (ProQOL), or the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).

Methods: We used a systematic review methodology, which included a meta-analysis. A total of 2103 articles resulted from the systematic search; 688 were removed as duplicates, and 1415 articles were reviewed by the title and abstract, of which 255 were eligible for full-text screening. Only 66 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. The final meta-analysis consisted of 33 reports divided into 12 studies for ProQOL and 21 studies for the MBI.

Results: The results provide an overall effect in studies using the ProQOL measurement was Z = 2.07 (P = 0.04) and a positive improvement mean difference of 9.32. The overall effect in studies using MBI was Z = 3.13 (P = 0.002) and a positive improvement mean difference of 6.58.

Conclusions: Whilst most studies indicated a positive difference, the most effective interventions included clinical supervision or activities that addressed the personal physical and mental well-being of nurses. Less effective interventions were managerial interventions or ones that used a strictly educational approach.

Keywords: Burnout; Emotional exhaustion; Meta-analysis; Nurses; Psychosocial intervention; Secondary traumatic stress; Systematic review.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Meta-Analysis
Review

MeSH terms

Burnout, Professional* / prevention & control
Emotional Exhaustion
Humans
Nurses*
Psychological Tests*
Quality of Life
Self Report*

Supplementary concepts

Maslach Burnout Inventory