Factors Associated with Occupational Burnout among Professional Nurses in a Community Hospital, Kalasin Province

Abstract

     This study was survey esearch, using qualitative data collection aimed to explore factors associated with job burnout among professional nurses in a 120-bed M2 community hospital in Kalasin Province, Thailand. It employed an exploratory approach using qualitative data collection and analysis. A total of 12 key informants were purposively selected through maximum variation sampling from 72 survey respondents. Participants comprised eight professional nurses from eight units and four multidisciplinary professionals, including a physician, a pharmacist, a medical technologist, and a physical therapist. The informants included both male and female participants across three generations (Generation X, Generation Y, and Generation Z), aged 24–58 years, with 3–34 years of work experience. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and a focus group discussion based on methodological triangulation. Data were analyzed using content analysis following Graneheim and Lundman, and trustworthiness was established according to Lincoln and Guba’s criteria.

     The study found 18 factors related to burnout, categorized into 5 interconnected ecosystems: (1) heavy workload and job complexity, (2) lack of resources, (3) relationships and communication, (4) systems and policies, and (5) personal and family factors. Overall, these factors are consistent with the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and the Job-Resource Needs (JD-R) model. Six novel concepts related to burnout were discovered: hidden paperwork behind patient care, overlapping burden from community proximity, professional dignity, hidden factors, normalized violence, and social distance. The research provides a foundation for developing a burnout surveillance and prevention system in the context of Thai community hospitals.