Perception of risk: an organizational model of occupational risk, burnout, and physical symptoms

Abstract

Nurses (N=545) responded to a survey of areas of worklife, burnout, physical symptoms, and occupational risk assessment at the beginning of a merger of three hospitals in a Canadian city. A structural analysis confirmed that exhaustion partially mediated between mismatches in two areas of worklife (workload and control) and physical symptoms of stress. Exhaustion partially mediated as well the relationship of verbal abuse with physical symptoms of stress and the relationship of job risks with these symptoms. The analysis confirmed a direct relationship of job risks with physical symptoms in addition to the relationship's indirect path through exhaustion. This path provides an alternative route for indirect effects of other variables with physical symptoms. The results are considered in terms of an integrated model of psychological relationships with work. The mediating role of exhaustion is discussed.

Keywords:

• Burnout
• verbal abuse
• occupational health
• health care
• nurses
• job stress

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a research grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.