Other Titles
Navigating Global Nursing Challenges: The Role of Burnout in Shaping Nursing Department Performance in Academia [Title Slide]
Abstract
Background: Burnout is a multifaceted occupational syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, detachment, and diminished sense of accomplishment.1-2 Factors such as heavy workloads, low salaries, and lack of work-life balance are major contributors to faculty and administrative staff burnout.3 “Quiet quitting” has become more common in academic settings4 as many prioritize personal life over professional obligations.5 Despite these issues, a notable gap remains in understanding the critical role that academic nurse leaders play in mitigating burnout among the support staff they oversee.
Purpose: To examine academic nurse leaders’ perceptions of burnout and mitigation strategies among faculty and staff in Colleges/Schools of Nursing.
Methods: This cross-sectional survey examined burnout and mitigation strategies among associate deans, business officers, and members of the Organizational Leadership Network (n=105). A survey was distributed to attendees of the 2023 American Association of Colleges of Nursing Business Officers of Nursing Schools (BONUS)6 meeting. Data were collected via Qualtrics and analyzed using descriptive statistics to summarize the demographics and findings. The 11-question survey included 8 multiple-choice and 3 open-ended.
Results: Respondents (57%) noted that staff burnout was either a problem/notable challenge or a major problem/major challenge. The open-ended responses focused on academic faculty burnout, “People [faculty] do not volunteer to fill committee seats because they have too much on their plate….they just want to do the mandatory parts of their job and go home.” Resignations (57%) and difficulties in backfilling staff positions (54.90%) were the most common burnout manifestations. More than half of the academic leaders indicated that they are working beneath their scope due to staffing deficits with an additional 25% to 50% of staff “quietly quitting”. Only a small percentage of academic leaders had an active burnout mitigation strategy for faculty (13%) and staff (7%).
Conclusion: More clarity is needed between acknowledging burnout as a pressing concern and implementing effective mitigation strategies. Leaders can significantly reduce burnout and enhance overall employee well-being by creating a supportive work environment and encouraging professional development. Academic leaders are key to reducing staff burnout by fostering a healthy work environment through organizational change and prioritizing self-care.
Notes
References: Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases. World Health Organization. Updated May 28, 2019. Accessed July 26, 2024. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases
National Academy of Medicine and National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being. The National Academies Press; 2019.
Andrews SP, Haskell B. Establishing a nursing academic healthy work environment: An evolving process. Teach Learn Nurs. 2024;(19)2: 180-184. Doi: 10.106/j.teln.2023.09.13
Morrison-Beedy D. Editorial: Are We Addressing “Quiet Quitting” in Faculty, Staff, and Students in Academic Settings? Building Health Academ Comm J, 2022;6(2), 7–8. https://doi.org/10.18061/bhac.v6i2.9309
Ratnatunga J. Quiet Quitting: The Silent Challenge of Performance Management. J Applied Manag Account Res. 2022;20, 13-20.
Business Officers of Nursing Schools (BONUS) Network. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.aacnnursing.org/membership/leadership-networks/business-officers-bonus
Sigma Membership
Beta Xi at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Cross-Sectional
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Workforce, Stress and Coping, Burnout, Faculty Development
Recommended Citation
Saylor, Jennifer L.; Evans, Jennifer; Goodolf, Dawn M.; Martinez-Hollingsworth, Adrienne; and Martin, Nia, "The Role of Burnout in Shaping Nursing Department Performance in Academia" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 186.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/186
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
The Role of Burnout in Shaping Nursing Department Performance in Academia
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: Burnout is a multifaceted occupational syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, detachment, and diminished sense of accomplishment.1-2 Factors such as heavy workloads, low salaries, and lack of work-life balance are major contributors to faculty and administrative staff burnout.3 “Quiet quitting” has become more common in academic settings4 as many prioritize personal life over professional obligations.5 Despite these issues, a notable gap remains in understanding the critical role that academic nurse leaders play in mitigating burnout among the support staff they oversee.
Purpose: To examine academic nurse leaders’ perceptions of burnout and mitigation strategies among faculty and staff in Colleges/Schools of Nursing.
Methods: This cross-sectional survey examined burnout and mitigation strategies among associate deans, business officers, and members of the Organizational Leadership Network (n=105). A survey was distributed to attendees of the 2023 American Association of Colleges of Nursing Business Officers of Nursing Schools (BONUS)6 meeting. Data were collected via Qualtrics and analyzed using descriptive statistics to summarize the demographics and findings. The 11-question survey included 8 multiple-choice and 3 open-ended.
Results: Respondents (57%) noted that staff burnout was either a problem/notable challenge or a major problem/major challenge. The open-ended responses focused on academic faculty burnout, “People [faculty] do not volunteer to fill committee seats because they have too much on their plate….they just want to do the mandatory parts of their job and go home.” Resignations (57%) and difficulties in backfilling staff positions (54.90%) were the most common burnout manifestations. More than half of the academic leaders indicated that they are working beneath their scope due to staffing deficits with an additional 25% to 50% of staff “quietly quitting”. Only a small percentage of academic leaders had an active burnout mitigation strategy for faculty (13%) and staff (7%).
Conclusion: More clarity is needed between acknowledging burnout as a pressing concern and implementing effective mitigation strategies. Leaders can significantly reduce burnout and enhance overall employee well-being by creating a supportive work environment and encouraging professional development. Academic leaders are key to reducing staff burnout by fostering a healthy work environment through organizational change and prioritizing self-care.
Description
Burnout in higher education may affect the functionality of the nursing department. This cross-sectional survey study aimed to evaluate academic nurse leaders’ perceptions (n=105) of burnout and mitigation strategies in Colleges/Schools of Nursing across the United States. High burnout rates, resignations, and difficulties in backfilling staff positions were reported. A disconnect exists between acknowledging burnout as a pressing concern and implementing effective mitigation strategies.