Burnout and Its Contributing Factors Among Midlevel Academic Nurse Leaders

BACKGROUND: Amid concerns regarding administrator shortages, a survey conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing indicates that 10% of all vacant faculty positions are those that include administrative responsibilities. This study was designed to determine the frequency, predictors, and potential retention consequences of burnout among midlevel academic nurse leaders, such as assistant deans, associate deans, and others. METHOD: The sample consisted of 146 midlevel academic nurse leaders from 29 schools of nursing. Burnout was measured by the emotional exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Logistic regression models were estimated to determine effects of study variables on burnout and intent to leave. RESULTS: Dissatisfaction with workload, dissatisfaction with work-life balance, and hours typically worked per week increased odds of burnout. Burnout was associated with intent to leave. CONCLUSION: High workloads and long work weeks are increasing the odds of burnout among midlevel academic nurse leaders. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(1):28-34.].