Burnout of Long-term Care Facility Employees: Relationship with Employees' Expressed Emotion Toward Patients

Abstract

Background: This study determined factors related to the burnout of long-term care facility employees, including employees' expressed emotion (EE) toward patients. Methods: A survey of 411 long-term care facility employees was conducted. Employee burnout was evaluated using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). EE levels were evaluated using the Nurse Attitude Scale (NAS). Results: The percentage of high scorers on the MBI's three subscales of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment were as follows: emotional exhaustion, 197 people (51.6%); depersonalization, 122 people (31.4%); and low personal accomplishment, 301 people (83.8%). Results of multiple logistic regression analysis using presence of a high score on the MBI subscales as dependent variables confirmed significant relevant factors. For emotional exhaustion, this was criticism [odds ratio (OR): 1.74, p = 0.046], for depersonalization, male (OR: 1.99, p = 0.021), younger than 40 years (OR: 1.84, p = 0.038), and hostility (OR: 2.99, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Results indicate that employees' EE of criticism and hostility toward patients is related to burnout.

Keywords

• burnout
• expressed emotion
• long-term care facility employees