Job Burnout Syndrome in Professional Nursing at Gabriel Luis Davila Hospital

Abstract

In recent years, we have developed a great interest in the study of stress and psychosocial factors related to work and the impact of this on the health of workers. Among the negative effects, physical as well as mental and behavioral, that job stress has on the individual, that can lead to problems at a collective level are increased absenteeism, decreased work quality and productivity, in addition to the impact on the physical and emotional health of workers.One of the most affected groups is professional nurses. Its performance is aimed at the direct service (dealing with other people). It is vital to determine the causes of this syndrome, correct and prevent the negative effects in order to optimize their professional performance.The nursing staff of the Hospital Luis G. Dávila, located in the city of Tulcan, was part of this research to determine if job exhaustion, also called Burnout syndrome, affects their professional performance in physical, emotional, and behavioral aspects. The research was conducted in 2011 with a descriptive and purposeful study. The results showed that the staff suffers physical Burnout syndrome manifestations such as fatigue, sleep problems, headaches and gastrointestinal problems. There are also emotional disorders such as irritability, anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. Also, behavioral problems such as aggression, defensiveness and substance abuse and work-related problems of absenteeism and lack of performance are noted.