The relationship between role ambiguity, emotional exhaustion and work alienation among chinese nurses two years after COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BMC Psychiatry

Research

Pei Wang¹  Hong-juan Lang¹  Chao Wu¹  Jia-ran Yan¹  Jun-hua Liu²  Huan-min Qu³  Meng-yi Hu⁴  Hong-li Zhang⁴  Fang Liu⁴ 

[1] Department of Nursing, Fourth Military Medical University, No.169 Changle West Road, 710032, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China;Department of Nursing, Qufu Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shandong, China;Human Resources Department, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 710032, Shaanxi, Xian, China;School of Nursing, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China;

关键词: Nurse;    Role ambiguity;    Emotional exhaustion;    Work alienation;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12888-023-04923-5

 received in 2023-04-07, accepted in 2023-06-03,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Backgroundwork alienation is receiving increasing attention as a psychological risk at work, and little is known about the mechanisms of role ambiguity and work alienation in nurses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article aims to examine how role ambiguity affects work alienation among Chinese nurses during the two years after COVID-19 pandemic and verify emotional exhaustion as mediators.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was used to recruit 281 Chinese nurses. Nurses completed online questionnaires containing demographic characteristics, role ambiguity, emotional exhaustion, and work alienation, and SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 were used for data analysis and structural equation modelling.Resultswork alienation scores were (34.64 ± 10.09), work alienation was correlated with role ambiguity and emotional exhaustion (r1 = 0.521, r2 = 0.755; p < .01), and role ambiguity was positively correlated with emotional exhaustion (r = 0.512; p < .01). A mediating effect of emotional exhaustion between role ambiguity and work alienation held (mediating effect of 0.288, 95% CI: 0.221–0.369, accounting for 74.8% of the total effect).ConclusionRole ambiguity has a significant direct effect on nurses’ feelings of alienation and exacerbates alienation through emotional exhaustion. Clarifying roles at work and being less emotionally drained are effective ways to reduce nurses’ feelings of alienation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

【 图 表 】

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