ASSESSMENT OF BURNOUT, RESILIENCE, AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG NURSES IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Keywords:
occupational burnout, psychological resilience, job satisfaction, public hospitals, healthcare policy, nurse migration, PhilippinesAbstract
The Philippine public healthcare system is facing a severe nursing workforce crisis characterized by extreme understaffing, low compensation, and high rates of outward migration. Bedside nurses in public hospitals operate under demanding conditions, putting them at high risk of occupational burnout. This study evaluated the levels of job burnout, psychological resilience, and job satisfaction among registered nurses in public tertiary hospitals in Metro Manila, Philippines, and examined the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction. A cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational research design was conducted among registered nurses (N = 384) working in government tertiary hospitals. Data were gathered using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and a modified Job Satisfaction Survey.
The results revealed high levels of emotional exhaustion (Mean = 27.49, SD = 11.31) and depersonalization (Mean = 15.54, SD = 5.97), alongside a reduced sense of personal accomplishment (Mean = 23.72, SD = 9.51). Moderate psychological resilience (Mean = 20.37, SD = 8.45) and low job satisfaction (Mean = 30.32, SD = 8.45) were observed. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the burnout dimensions and resilience explained 92.7% of the variance in job satisfaction (R2 = 0.927, F(4, 379) = 1203, p < 0.001). Path mediation analysis confirmed that psychological resilience partially mediated the negative impact of emotional exhaustion on job satisfaction (indirect effect = -0.2877, 95% CI [-0.3214, -0.2541]), accounting for 40.6% of the total effect. While psychological resilience is a valuable cognitive resource, it is insufficient to overcome the severe impact of chronic emotional exhaustion driven by understaffing and low wages. Hospital administrators and policymakers must implement systemic reforms, such as increasing salaries and enforcing safe nurse-to-patient ratios, to preserve the nursing workforce and improve healthcare delivery.
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