Role Strain and Burnout in Nursing .

Running head: ROLE STRAIN AND BURNOUT IN NURSING
ROLE STRAIN AND BURNOUT IN NURSING
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1ROLE STRAIN AND BUROUT IN NURSING
Introduction
The occupational phenomenon of burnout is characterized by the incidences of decrease
personal and occupational achievement, feelings of exhaustion and lack of personalization, due
to the occurrences of excessive workload and occupational strain. The prevalence of strain and
burnout in nursing is a phenomena of significant concern, due to its negative implications on the
physiological, psychological and emotional platforms of and individual (Fong, 2016).
The following paragraphs of this essay aims to shed light on the prevalence of role strain
and burnout in nursing, its effects on the functioning of nurses as well as the treatment of the
patients, the potential legal and ethical issues concerned, followed by brief discussions on issues
and experiences associated with burnout and the possible solutions for mitigation of the same.
Discussion
Effect of Role Stress and Strain on Nurses
The impact of role stress and strain amongst nurses is associated with a number of
negative health complications, the most notable of which include physiological implications in
the form of increased fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, headaches, breathing difficulties and
gastrointestinal disturbances. Prolonged burnout and lack of treatment of such issues further lead
to feelings of illness among nurses and the resultant lack of productivity. Role stress and burnout
has also been associated with psychological complications in the form of increased stress,
anxiety, irritability and a loss of interest or engagement towards one’s occupational duties (da
Silva et al., 2014).

2ROLE STRAIN AND BUROUT IN NURSING
Implications of Patient Care
The prevalence of burnout and role strain among nurses has been documented to yield
negative organizational effects such as increased absenteeism which results in further increase of
work stress among existing staff members due to the increased demand of workload as compared
to the available workforce. Increased absenteeism leads to lack of sufficient workforce tending to
a patient, resulting in compromised quality in patient care. Further burnout in nursing has been
associated with increased medical errors and lack of productivity, further leading to patients
receiving inadequate treatment. Hence burnout in nurses has been associated with reduced
patient care quality, negative patient health outcomes and unsatisfactory customer feedback (Koy
et al., 2017).
Association of Ethical and Legal Issues
Role strain and burnout among nurses may also disrupt the consideration of legal and
ethical issues. Burnout may hamper a nurses productivity, leading to loss of ability to manage
moral conflicts, resulting in ethical dilemmas. The increased prevalence of medical errors
associated with burnout further raise patient ethical issues due to the associated lack of quality
treatment and resultant fatal implications on patient’s health. Prevalence of excessive burnout
also raise legal concerns on workplace safety since every clinical organization must comply with
Workplace Health and Safety Standards for the purpose of ensuring healthy occupational
functioning (Jakimowicz, Perry & Lewis, 2018).