The impact of self-reported burnout and work-related quality of life on nurses' intention to leave the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Susan McGrory; John Mallett; Justin MacLochlainn; Jill Manthorpe; Jermaine Ravalier; Heike Schroder; Denise Currie; Patricia Nicholl; Rachel Naylor; Paula McFadden; Susan McGrory; John Mallett; Justin MacLochlainn; Jill Manthorpe; Jermaine Ravalier; Heike Schroder; Denise Currie; Patricia Nicholl; Rachel Naylor; Paula McFadden

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2024056

AIMS Public Health

2024, Volume 11, Issue 4: 1082-1104. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2024056

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Research article

The impact of self-reported burnout and work-related quality of life on nurses' intention to leave the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

1.
School of Nursing and Paramedic Science, Magee Campus, Ulster University, Derry, BT48 7JL, UK
2.
School of Psychology, Coleraine Campus, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
3.
School of Applied Social Policy Sciences, Ulster University, Derry BT48 7JL, UK
4.
NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce, King's College London, Strand, London WC2B 6LE, UK
5.
School of Health and Social Care Professions, Buckinghamshire New University, High Wycombe, HP11 2JZ, UK
6.
Queen's Business School, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5EE, UK
7.
School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1HL, UK

Received: 12 April 2024 Revised: 21 June 2024 Accepted: 05 July 2024 Published: 07 November 2024

The challenges of maintaining an effective and sustainable healthcare workforce include the recruitment and retention of skilled nurses. COVID-19 exacerbated these challenges, but they persist beyond the pandemic. We explored the impact of work-related quality of life and burnout on reported intentions to leave a variety of healthcare professions including nursing. We collected data at five time-points from November 2020 to February 2023 via an online survey. The validated measures used included the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQoL) scale; with subscales for Job-Career Satisfaction, General Wellbeing, Control at work, Stress at work, Working conditions, and Home-work interface. Our findings showed that 47.6% of nursing respondents (n = 1780) had considered changing their profession throughout the study period, with the 30–39-year age group most likely to express intentions to leave. Regression analysis reveale that for WRQoL, lower general wellbeing and job-career satisfaction scores predicted intentions to leave when controlling for demographic variables (p < 0.001). When burnout was added to the regression model, both work-related and client-related burnout were predictive of intentions to leave (p < 0.001). These findings highlighted that significant numbers of nurses considered leaving their profession during and shortly after the pandemic and the need for interventions to improve nurses' wellbeing and reduce burnout to improve their retention.
- nursing,
- burnout,
- quality of working life,
- retention,
- COVID-19,
- UK
Citation: Susan McGrory, John Mallett, Justin MacLochlainn, Jill Manthorpe, Jermaine Ravalier, Heike Schroder, Denise Currie, Patricia Nicholl, Rachel Naylor, Paula McFadden. The impact of self-reported burnout and work-related quality of life on nurses' intention to leave the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2024, 11(4): 1082-1104. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2024056

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Abstract

The challenges of maintaining an effective and sustainable healthcare workforce include the recruitment and retention of skilled nurses. COVID-19 exacerbated these challenges, but they persist beyond the pandemic. We explored the impact of work-related quality of life and burnout on reported intentions to leave a variety of healthcare professions including nursing. We collected data at five time-points from November 2020 to February 2023 via an online survey. The validated measures used included the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQoL) scale; with subscales for Job-Career Satisfaction, General Wellbeing, Control at work, Stress at work, Working conditions, and Home-work interface. Our findings showed that 47.6% of nursing respondents (n = 1780) had considered changing their profession throughout the study period, with the 30–39-year age group most likely to express intentions to leave. Regression analysis reveale that for WRQoL, lower general wellbeing and job-career satisfaction scores predicted intentions to leave when controlling for demographic variables (p < 0.001). When burnout was added to the regression model, both work-related and client-related burnout were predictive of intentions to leave (p < 0.001). These findings highlighted that significant numbers of nurses considered leaving their profession during and shortly after the pandemic and the need for interventions to improve nurses' wellbeing and reduce burnout to improve their retention.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all respondents, and the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland for seed funding for the survey. Also, thanks to Community Care ©, Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of Midwifery, Royal College of Occupational Therapists, British Dietetic Association, College of Podiatry and the NISCC for advertising and promoting the study.
This study was funded by HSC R&D Division of the Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland (COVID Rapid Response Funding Scheme COM/5603/20), the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, with support from England's National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce—PR–PRU–1217–21002.

Authors' contribution

Conceptualization; Paula McFadden, John Mallett, Susan McGrory, Jill Manthorpe, Jermaine Ravalier. Statistical Analysis; Susan McGrory, John Mallett and Justin MacLochlainn. Original manuscript drafting; Susan McGrory, John Mallett, Justin MacLochlainn and Paula McFadden. Review and editing; Jill Manthorpe, Heike Schroder, Rachel Naylor, Jermaine Ravalier, Patricia Nicholl, and Denise Currie. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare there are no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

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