Salutogenic coping with burnout among nurses: A qualitative study

Abstract

Previous research has confirmed the quantitatively determined negatively significant relationship between burnout and salutogenic functioning. This study qualitatively investigates the nature of the experienced difference in the salutogenic coping of nurses with different levels of burnout. The sample consisted of 105 general nurses whose level of burnout was ranked form high to low. The five individuals with the highest and the five with the lowest burnout scores were used. An interview was conducted with each of these nurses and the data content analysed. Two main themes, namely symptoms of burnout and salutogenic coping behaviour, emerged. The high burnout subgroup reported most of the burnout symptoms and the low burnout:? I subgroup reported the behavioural characteristics of salutogenic functioning, namely comprehension, challenge, cognitive control problem solving, meaningfulness, commitment, manageability, control, I delayed immediate gratification and optimism. It is hypothesised that burnout robs the individual of coping strengths, resources and salutogenic functioning and salutogenic functioning facilitates the necessary sychological strengths to cope with burnout. It is recommended that labour management implement these findings in employee well-ness programmes as well as in the training of negotiators and the monitoring of their performance.