Job Demands, Burnout, and Engagement Among Nurses: a Multilevel Analysis Investigating the Role of Teamwork

Abstract

Background: Extensive research has investigated the impact of job demands and resources on burnout and engagement among nurses. However, few studies have used multilevel designs looking at both individual and department level variables explaining the relationship. Our aim was to investigate the main and moderating effects of teamwork in predicting burnout and engagement. Methods: The sample consisted of 1156 nurses in 93 departments from seven European countries. Cross-sectional survey data were collected measuring Job Demands, Teamwork within Hospital Units, Burnout and Engagement. Findings: Workload, emotional and organizational demands predict emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and vigor. Emotional and organizational demands were found to predict dedication also. Teamwork was not found to reduce burnout, but it was strongly associated with engagement. We found no evidence for the moderating effect of teamwork in reducing the individual perceptions of job demands. Discussion:Our findings suggest that interventions aiming at facilitating work engagement among nurses should address department characteristics such as teamwork and collaboration between health professionals.