The Role of Public Health Nurses at Public Health Centers after Community Health Act Implementation.

2004

Occup Environ Med

Aims:(1) To examine whether prevalence of burnout is higher among community psychiatric nurses working under recently introduced job specific work systems than among public health nurses (PHNs) engaged in other public health services. (2) To identify work environment factors potentially contributing to burnout.Methods:Two groups were examined. The psychiatric group comprised 525 PHNs primarily engaged in public mental health services at public health centres (PHCs) that had adopted the job specific work system. The control group comprised 525 PHNs primarily engaged in other health services. Pines’ Burnout Scale was used to measure burnout. Respondents were classified by burnout score into three groups: A (mentally stable, no burnout); B (positive signs, risk of burnout); and C (burnout present, action required). Groups B and C were considered representative of “burnout”. A questionnaire was also prepared to investigate systems for supporting PHNs working at PHCs and to define emergency mental health service factors contributing to burnout.Results:Final respondents comprised 785 PHNs. Prevalence of burnout was significantly higher in the psychiatric group (59.2%) than in the control group (51.5%). Responses indicating lack of job control and increased annual frequency of emergency overtime services were significantly correlated with prevalence of burnout in the psychiatric group, but not in the control group.Conclusions:Prevalence of burnout is significantly higher for community psychiatric nurses than for PHNs engaged in other services. Overwork in emergency services and lack of job control appear to represent work environment factors contributing to burnout.

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…18 We focused on PHNs engaged in mental health services (community psychiatric nurses) when conducting this survey. Community psychiatric nurses are said to experience greater physical and mental fatigue due to problems with working conditions (inadequate support systems) and unsatisfactory regional emergency mental health care systems.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Burnout and work environments of public health nurses involved in mental health care

2004

Occup Environ Med

“…In April 1997, the Community Health Act came into effect in Japan. The enforcement of this act changed the work system for public health nurses (PHNs) in public health centers (PHCs) nationwide, from a region-specific work system to a service-specific work system (11)(12)(13). Such major changes to working environments in the newly introduced system seem to be exposing PHNs to various types of stress.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of burnout among public health nurses in charge of mental health services and emergency care systems in Japan

Environ Health Prev Med

Nakao

Nakagi

et al. 2006

Prevalence of Burnout among Public Health Nurses in Charge of Mental Health Services and Emergency Care Systems in Japan

Environ. Health Prev. Med.

Nakao

Nakagi

et al. 2006

Objectives: The Community Health Act came into effect in 1997 in Japan. This act altered the work system for public health nurses (PHNs) in public health centers (PHCs) nationwide from regionspecific to service-specific work. Such major changes to working environment in the new system seem to be exposing PHNs to various types of stress. The present study examined whether prevalence of burnout is higher among PHNs in charge of mental health services (psychiatric PHNs) than among PHNs in charge of other services (non-psychiatric PHNs), and whether attributes of emergency mental health care systems in communities are associated with increased prevalence of burnout.Methods: A questionnaire including the Pines burnout scale for measuring burnout was mailed to 525 psychiatric PHNs and 525 non-psychiatric PHNs. The 785 respondents included in the final analysis comprised 396 psychiatric PHNs and 389 non-psychiatric PHNs.Results: Prevalence of burnout was significantly higher for psychiatric PHNs (59.2%) than for non-psychiatric PHNs (51.5%). When prevalence of burnout in each group was analyzed in relation to question responses regarding emergency service and patient referral systems, prevalence of burnout for psychiatric PHNs displayed significant correlations to frequency of cases requiring overtime emergency services, difficulties referring patients, and a feeling of "restriction".Conclusions: Prevalence of burnout is high among psychiatric PHNs, and inadequate emergency mental health service systems contribute to burnout among these nurses. Countermeasures for preventing such burnout should be taken as soon as possible.