Risk factors and burnout levels in Primary Care nurses: A systematic review

Objective: To determine the risk factors and levels of burnout in Primary Care nurses. Methods: A systematic review was performed. Data sources: CINAHL, CUIDEN, LILACS, PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect and Scopus databases were consulted. Search equations were 'burnout AND community health nursing' and 'burnout AND primary care nursing'. The search was performed in October 2015. Study selection: The final sample was n=12 studies. Quantitative primary studies that used Maslach Burnout Inventory for burnout assessment in Primary Care nurses were included without restriction by publication date. Data extraction: The main variables were the mean and standard deviation of the three burnout dimensions, high, medium and low prevalence rates of each dimension, and socio-demographic, occupational and psychological variables that potentially influence burnout level. Results: Studies show high prevalence rates, generally between 23% and 31%, of emotional exhaustion. The prevalence rates of high depersonalisation and low personal accomplishment show heterogeneity, varying between 8%-32% and 4%-92% of the sample, respectively. Studies show that older nurses with more seniority, anxiety and depression, among other variables, have higher burnout levels, while nurses with higher salary, high job satisfaction, organisational support, and good self-concept have less burnout. Conclusion: High emotional exhaustion is the main affected dimension of burnout in Primary Care nursing. There is heterogeneity in depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. Burnout must be prevented in these professionals, by increasing protective factors and monitoring its appearance in those with risk factors. (C) 2016 Elsevier Espana, S.L.U.