Journal List > J Korean Acad Nurs Adm > v.18(3) > 1051646

Kim and Choi: Emergency Nurses' Professional Quality of Life: Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress

Abstract

Purpose

Professional quality of life is the quality one feels in relation to their work as a helper. The purpose of this study was to describe professional quality of life among emergency nurses.

Methods

A total of 15 emergency rooms were selected in three cities. Among 263 nurses working at these emergency rooms, 178 nurses consented to participate in this cross-sectional survey. Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) Scale version 5 was used to measure compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Cluster analysis was used to classify nurses according to professional quality of life.

Results

The mean scores (SD) for compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress were 32.12 (5.45), 28.27 (4.28), and 28.20 (5.07), respectively. The result of cluster analysis according to standardized score of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress yielded three clusters. Over 50% of participants showed low professional quality of life. Nurses who were included in a cluster representing low professional quality of life were younger, had shorter periods of nursing experience, and perceivedlower social support than other cluster.

Conclusion

Education or support programs for emergency nurses are needed to enhance their professional quality of life.

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Demographic and Work-related Characteristics of Subjects (N=164)
jkana-18-320-i001
Table 2
Results of Descriptive Analysis of ProQOL Subscales (Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Compassion Fatigue)
jkana-18-320-i002
Table 3
The Results of Cluster Analysis Based on Professional Quality of Life
jkana-18-320-i003

*Secondary traumatic stress

Post-hoc analysis: a > b > c

All scores are standardized and converted with raw mean = 50 and the raw score for SD = 10

Table 4
Comparison of Clusters
jkana-18-320-i004

Post-hoc analysis: a > b

Cluster 1: High score in compassion satisfaction, low scores in burnout and secondary traumatic stress

Cluster 2: Low scores in compassion satisfaction, in burnout and secondary traumatic stress

Cluster 3: Low score in compassion satisfaction, high scores in burnout and secondary traumatic stress

Notes

This article is a revision of the first author's master's thesis from Konkuk University.

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