Workplace Social Support as a Mediating Factor in the Association between Occupational Stressors and Job Burnout: A Study in the Taiwanese Nursing Context

Abstract

Aims and Objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of job burnout among Taiwanese nurses, specifically exploring the mediating role of workplace social support in the association between nurses’ stressors and this burnout. Background. Nurses confront high-stress, high-stakes work environments due to evolving disease patterns and growing healthcare needs. The nurse-patient ratio in Taiwan is higher than in other countries, necessitating effective strategies to mitigate nurse burnout and enhance the quality of patient care. Design. A cross-sectional study design was employed. Methods. From January to April 2019, 500 nurses were recruited from a medical center in Kaohsiung City, southern Taiwan. Participants completed a questionnaire addressing workplace social support, stressors faced by nurses, and job burnout. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, t-test evaluations, Pearson’s correlation analyses, and a structural equation model with maximum likelihood estimation. Results. The findings revealed that a portion of nurses experienced high rates of personal burnout (7.20%), work-related burnout (5.00%), and client-related burnout (4.80%). The relationships among workplace social support, nurses’ stressors, and job burnout were all substantial, exhibiting correlation coefficients ranging from −0.318 to 0.828. The direct effect of nurse stress on job burnout was 0.551, comprising 90.7% of the cumulative effect. In contrast, the indirect effect of nurse stress on job burnout, considering workplace social support, amounted to 9.3% of the total effect, with a value of 0.056. Conclusions. The study underscored the importance of addressing job burnout among nurses in Taiwan. Workplace social support may function as a mediating factor in the relationship between nurses’ stressors and job burnout. Implications for Nursing Management. The results suggest that healthcare administrators should prioritize workplace social support initiatives. These efforts could help identify and address nurses’ stressors, promote work-life balance, and reduce nurse-patient ratios and work overload.