Organizational cynicism and its relation to nurses' occupational burnout: Testing nurse managers' paradoxical leadership moderation effects

Wagih Mohamed Salama; Hazem Ahmed Khairy; Mohammad Gouda; Marwa Samir Sorour; Wagih Mohamed Salama; Hazem Ahmed Khairy; Mohammad Gouda; Marwa Samir Sorour

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2025017

AIMS Public Health

2025, Volume 12, Issue 2: 275-289. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2025017

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Organizational cynicism and its relation to nurses' occupational burnout: Testing nurse managers' paradoxical leadership moderation effects

1.
Department of Social Studies, College of Arts, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia
2.
Hotel Management Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Egypt
3.
Deanship of E-Learning and Information Technology, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia
4.
Nursing Administration Department, Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University, Egypt

Received: 26 September 2024 Revised: 10 December 2024 Accepted: 08 February 2025 Published: 10 March 2025

Background
One of the primary challenges that hinders organizational effectiveness and prosperity is organizational cynicism. Organizational cynicism is defined as a general or specific attitude of disappointment, insecurity, burnout, and mistrust towards individuals or groups. Paradoxical leadership, as applied by nurse managers, involves acknowledging and navigating the inherent tensions and contradictions within healthcare organizations, which enables managers to sustain balance in the workplace.
Aim of the Study
This study aims to investigate the relation between organizational cynicism and a nurses' occupational burnout (testing nurse managers' paradoxical leadership moderation effects).
Research design
A non-experimental cross-sectional prospective design was employed for this study.
Subjects
A stratified random sample of 314 nurses participated in the study.
Setting
The study was conducted at Main Tanta University Hospital, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Method
Three tools were used for data collection: the Organizational Cynicism Scale, the Nurse Managers' Paradoxical Leadership Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).
Results
A statistically significant positive correlation was found between organizational cynicism and occupational burnout. Additionally, a statistically significant negative correlation was observed between the nurse managers' paradoxical leadership and both organizational cynicism and occupational burnout.
Recommendations
Healthcare leaders should take proactive measures to address organizational cynicism to mitigate a nurses' occupational burnout, which can contribute to the nursing shortage.
- nurses,
- occupational burnout,
- organizational cynicism,
- paradoxical leadership
Citation: Wagih Mohamed Salama, Hazem Ahmed Khairy, Mohammad Gouda, Marwa Samir Sorour. Organizational cynicism and its relation to nurses' occupational burnout: Testing nurse managers' paradoxical leadership moderation effects[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2025, 12(2): 275-289. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2025017

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Abstract

Background

One of the primary challenges that hinders organizational effectiveness and prosperity is organizational cynicism. Organizational cynicism is defined as a general or specific attitude of disappointment, insecurity, burnout, and mistrust towards individuals or groups. Paradoxical leadership, as applied by nurse managers, involves acknowledging and navigating the inherent tensions and contradictions within healthcare organizations, which enables managers to sustain balance in the workplace.

Aim of the Study

This study aims to investigate the relation between organizational cynicism and a nurses' occupational burnout (testing nurse managers' paradoxical leadership moderation effects).

Research design

A non-experimental cross-sectional prospective design was employed for this study.

Subjects

A stratified random sample of 314 nurses participated in the study.

Setting

The study was conducted at Main Tanta University Hospital, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Method

Three tools were used for data collection: the Organizational Cynicism Scale, the Nurse Managers' Paradoxical Leadership Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).

Results

A statistically significant positive correlation was found between organizational cynicism and occupational burnout. Additionally, a statistically significant negative correlation was observed between the nurse managers' paradoxical leadership and both organizational cynicism and occupational burnout.

Recommendations

Healthcare leaders should take proactive measures to address organizational cynicism to mitigate a nurses' occupational burnout, which can contribute to the nursing shortage.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research, Vice Presidency for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia [KFU242587].

Authors' contribution

Conceptualization, Marwa Samir Sorour, and Hazem Ahmed Khairy; Data curation, Marwa Samir Sorour, and Hazem Ahmed Khairy; Formal analysis, Marwa Samir Sorour, and Hazem Ahmed Khairy; Funding acquisition, Wagih Mohamed Salama and Mohammad Gouda; Investigation, Marwa Samir Sorour; Methodology, Marwa Samir Sorour, and Hazem Ahmed Khairy; Project administration, Marwa Samir Sorour, Hazem Ahmed Khairy, Wagih Mohamed Salama, and Mohammad Gouda; Resources, Marwa Samir Sorour, and Hazem Ahmed Khairy; Software, Marwa Samir Sorour, and Hazem Ahmed Khairy; Supervision, Marwa Samir Sorour, Hazem Ahmed Khairy, Wagih Mohamed Salama, and Mohammad Gouda; Validation, Marwa Samir Sorour, and Hazem Ahmed Khairy; Visualization, Marwa Samir Sorour, Hazem Ahmed Khairy, and Wagih Mohamed Salama; Writing – original draft, Marwa Samir Sorour, Hazem Ahmed Khairy, and Wagih Mohamed Salama; Writing – review & editing, Marwa Samir Sorour, Hazem Ahmed Khairy, Wagih Mohamed Salama, and Mohammad Gouda.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare no conflicts of interest in this paper.

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