Introduction
Over the past decade, burnout has become alarmingly widespread among nurses. The COVID-19 epidemic has contributed to the observed problem by substantially increasing the quantity and difficulty of labor required by nurses. However, the issue of nurse burnout was well-known and recognized as a significant problem even before the epidemic struck. The issue is obviously intricate and requires much investigation and mathematical study. This study will examine four of the most important research articles on nursing burnout, also known as professional burnout syndrome (PBS). Studies like this are crucial to evaluating and developing treatments because they shed light on the nuances and complexities of PSB in nurses.
PICOT Question
How do psychological therapies to cope with stress and improve communication skills alter the severity of professional burnout syndrome over a year in nurses with heavier workloads?
Analysis
Background
Cocchiara et al. (2019), Bagheri et al. (2019), Froessl & Abdeen (2021), and Magnavita et al. (2021) are the four studies that aim to investigate what causes PBS in nurses. The studies’ specific goal is to reevaluate the issue of nurse burnout in the workplace and to pinpoint the factors that are most likely to contribute to this widespread problem. Additionally, the four types of research provide workable strategies for dealing with PBS in the targeted population. Each article aims to examine the PBS problem from a unique vantage point, offer an opinion on the issue, and suggest a workable solution.
A different research question is addressed in each of the four investigations. Cocchiara et al. (2019) explicitly review the research on yoga’s efficacy in reducing stress and burnout in the healthcare industry, focusing on nurses and other frontline employees. Further, Magnavita et al. (2021) synthesize information from prior systematic reviews and meta-analyses to assess the link between coronaviruses (SARS, MERS, SARS-CoV-2) and PBS in nurses. PBS can also be caused by the psychological strain placed on frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19, a topic explored by Froessl & Abdeen (2021). The impact of stress-coping methods and group cognitive-behavioral therapy on nurse burnout is studied by Bagheri et al. (2019). Although each study handles a unique research question, they answer the PICOT question of this study.
Support
All of the articles above are connected to the PICOT question made at the top. Bagheri et al. (2019) explicitly allow researchers to examine how stress-coping strategies and group Cognitive behavioral therapy affect PBS in nurses. Results from the study by Bagheri et al. (2019) demonstrated that stress-coping strategies and group cognitive-behavioral therapy could help decrease PBS severity. Cocchiara et al. (2019) conducted similar analyses and reviews of the current literature on the effectiveness of yoga in helping healthcare professionals deal with stress and avoid developing PBS. The PICOT question is directly related to the articles’ fundamental ideas. The interventions presented in the designated studies are similar to those listed in the PICOT question. Cocchiara et al. (2019) results emphasize the use of yoga to manage stress in nurses, which leads to PBS. In contrast, Bagheri et al. (2019) stress-coping strategies and group cognitive-behavioral therapy can be considered psychological interventions.
Contrarily, Froessl & Abdeen (2021) investigate the complete range of negative psychological consequences of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease of 2019) pandemic on Frontline healthcare workers (FLHCWs) like nurses. Research by Froessl and Abdeen (2021) identifies those most at risk, which should help target preventative steps in the case of future healthcare system stress. In a similarly designed systematic review, Magnavita et al. (2021) find PBS may be brought on by a lack of preparation for an outbreak and deteriorating working conditions. Since the PICOT question is relevant to the article’s main points, it should be answered in the affirmative. Furthermore, the interventions described in the cited research are very much like those mentioned in the PICOT inquiry. While Froessl & Abdeen’s (2021) research highlights how COVID-19’s negative psychological impacts contribute to PBS, Magnavita et al. (2021) research suggests that preventative care and workplace health promotion programs may help prevent PBS among healthcare professionals like nurses.
Similarly, there is a high degree of homogeneity between the interventions and comparison groups chosen for this study and those in the identified studies. The psychological strategies proposed by Bagheri et al. (2019), Cocchiara et al. (2019), and Froessl & Abdeen (2021), such as yoga, stress coping strategies, and group cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychological burden, are all relatively comparable. However, Magnavita et al. (2021) propose an alternative approach to resource management that differs significantly from just including a treatment framework for coping with emotional distress. The comparison groups in this study also primarily consisted of healthcare professionals, specifically registered nurses.
Methods
Cocchiara et al. (2019) conducted a systematic review consisting of 7 clinical trials and four observational studies in their investigation. Sixty nurses at Tehran’s Hazrat Fatima Hospital participated in a semi-experimental interventional study by Bagheri et al. (2019). On top of that, the PRISMA (Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) methodology checklist is used as guidance (Froessl & Abdeen, 2021). Finally, the most relevant publications for the study were selected by Magnavita et al. (2021) using systematic review filters. Due to this, the four publications take very varied approaches in terms of their chosen methodology. The primary benefit of the proposed research design is the freedom to determine their measurement methods. As a result, researchers can gather a large amount of information because they have a complete say over the measuring framework. This means that the potential for producing biased results is higher than in studies employing alternative research designs.
Results
Opportunities to address PBS among nurses are substantial, as shown by the research that is being analyzed. Cocchiara et al. (2019) research highlight the importance of yoga for stress management in nurses in avoiding PBS. Based on their findings, Bagheri et al. (2019) conclude that stress-coping strategies and group cognitive-behavioral therapy can help lessen the effects of burnout. Furthermore, Froessl & Abdeen (2021) identify psychological strain during the pandemic as the leading cause of PBS in nurses, making future planning critically important. Finally, Magnavita et al. (2021) research show that occupational health promotion initiatives and preventative treatment may help prevent healthcare personnel from PBS. The results of this study have significant ramifications for the workplaces of nurses everywhere, particularly regarding the need for self-management and appropriate psychological coping mechanisms to prevent being affected by PBS.
Since they illuminate potential strategies for reducing the emergence of PBS in the nursing setting, the results of this study are of particular significance. In addition, the four article authors explain in depth how to deal with PBS and the issue of burnout in the workplace. When combined with the four viewpoints presented here, the psychological framework for resolving problems associated with PBS provides a solid foundation for further investigation.
Ethics Considerations
Bagheri et al. (2019) study raise significant ethical concerns, the most important of which are the protection of participants’ anonymity and the collection of their informed permission. The study considers the identified issues, guaranteeing that participants understand the study’s aims and methods and that their privacy is respected. Therefore, the fundamental ethical concern has been adequately handled. The study in question has taken precautions to protect the privacy of its subjects and obtain their informed permission by providing thorough explanations of the research’s aims and methods to all participants. The remaining three studies involved merely the selection and analysis of already conducted research; thus, no ethical issues arose.
Outcomes Comparison
The expected results of the PICOT question are that the intensity of PBS will be lessened each year due to psychological therapies and improved communication skills. This is because nurses will be better able to discuss the stresses they face on the job if they feel safe enough to open up about their mental health and the reasons for PBS. Cocchiara et al. (2019) found that yoga is effective as a psychological intervention for managing the stress that contributes to PBS, and their findings were consistent with previous research. Stress-coping strategies and group cognitive-behavioral therapy help prevent burnout, according to research by Bagheri et al. (2019). In addition, Froessl & Abdeen (2021) identify those at higher risk to aid in precisely targeting preventative measures in the case of future healthcare system stress. Finally, Magnavita et al. (2021) find that the most effective way to lessen PBS is through preventive treatment and health promotion initiatives in the workplace. The psychological treatments provided by the four articles are in line with the anticipated results.
Proposed Evidence-Based Practice Change
The common thread that ties them all together is the concept that each of these things—the PICOT question, the research articles, and the nursing problem—deals with psychological difficulties. For example, the PICOT question identifies the most critical factors influencing the severity of PBS as psychological therapies and communication skills development. In the following sections, the four study articles identify the psychological problems contributing to PBS and potential treatments for these problems. The four research articles have solved the problem that the PICOT has recognized: the nursing problem. According to the data provided by these several factors: In light of the PICOT question, the research articles, and the nursing problem, I would like to suggest evidence-based practice for the identified setting. I believe that the term nurse should be replaced with health workers so that everyone who works in a healthcare facility is included.
Conclusion
The analyzed papers are crucial because they bring new and vital insights to the debate and management of BPS in nurses. In particular, the four publications discussed above offer excellent commentary on the occurrence of PBS among nurses and related topics. In addition, articles highlight the impact that the pandemic and the accompanying shortage of resources have played on the development of PBS in nursing professionals and outline the elements that influence contemporary rates of PBS in the nursing staff. Studies have shown that the problem can be fixed by instituting better measures to manage existing resources.
References
Bagheri, T., Fatemi, M. J., Payandan, H., Skandari, A., & Momeni, M. (2019). The effects of stress-coping strategies and group cognitive-behavioral therapy on nurse burnout. Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters, 32(3), 1–6. Web.
Cocchiara, R., Peruzzo, M., Mannocci, A., Ottolenghi, L., Villari, P., Polimeni, A., Guerra, F., & La Torre, G. (2019). The use of yoga to manage stress and burnout in Healthcare Workers: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 8(3), 284. Web.
Froessl, L. J., & Abdeen, Y. (2021). The silent pandemic: The psychological burden on frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19. Psychiatry Journal, 2021, 1–11. Web.
Magnavita, N., Chirico, F., Garbarino, S., Bragazzi, N. L., Santacroce, E., & Zaffina, S. (2021). SARS/MERS/SARS-COV-2 outbreaks and burnout syndrome among healthcare workers. A systematic umbrella review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8), 4361. Web.