Emotional exhaustion predicts poor sleep quality among orthopedic nurses: a cross-sectional study

TL;DR

Orthopedic nurses with high emotional exhaustion tend to have worse sleep quality, according to a study of 184 nurses in Chengdu.

Contribution

This study identifies emotional exhaustion as the strongest predictor of poor sleep quality among orthopedic nurses.

Findings

Emotional exhaustion had the largest effect on sleep quality (β = 0.301).

The three burnout dimensions explained 41.7% of sleep quality variance.

Married nurses with more than 5 years of experience and low income had worse sleep quality.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of orthopedic nurse burnout on sleep quality.

The Chinese versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory–General Survey and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were administered to 184 orthopedic nurses in five Grade-A tertiary hospitals in Chengdu. Multiple linear regression was used for data analysis.

The total PSQI score of orthopedic nurses was 6.10 ± 2.87, and the detection rate of sleep disorders was 58.7%; the total job burnout score was 43.14 ± 9.76, and emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment were all moderately positively correlated with PSQI (r = 0.228–0.376); regression showed that the three dimensions jointly explained 41.7% of the variance in sleep quality, with emotional exhaustion (β = 0.301) having the largest effect; being married, having more than 5 years of work experience, and low income also significantly positively affected sleep quality.

Job burnout significantly affects sleep quality among orthopedic nurses, with emotional exhaustion having the greatest impact; those who are married, have long tenure, and have low income are at higher risk. Reducing burnout and strengthening support and incentives are key to improving sleep quality among orthopedic nurses.