A Comparison of the Work Environment and Burnout Levels of Nurses Working in Adult and Pediatric Surgery Clinics

Aim: This study was conducted to compare the work environment and burnout levels of nurses working in adult and pediatric surgery clinics. Method: This descriptive and comparative study was conducted between February and May 2023 in various hospitals in Istanbul with 384 nurses (196 adult surgery, 188 pediatric surgery. Data collection tools included the "Participant Information Form", "Practice Environment Scale-Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI)" and "Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results: The average total score for the Nursing Work Environment Scale among nurses working in pediatric surgery clinics (Mean=2.49) was found to be statistically significantly higher than the average score of nurses working in adult surgery clinics (Mean=2.36). Nurses in pediatric clinics scored an average of 17.04 in the Emotional Exhaustion subscale, 6.61 in the Depersonalization subscale, and 22.68 in the Personal Accomplishment subscale. Nurses in adult clinics had average scores of 20.02 in Emotional Exhaustion, 7.80 in Depersonalization, and 22.75 in Personal Accomplishment. Comparisons between groups revealed significant differences in the Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization subscale score. Conclusion: The findings from this study indicate that nurses working in adult surgery clinics experience a more negative work environment and higher levels of burnout compared to their counterparts in pediatric surgery clinics. It would be beneficial for managers to develop strategies aimed at fostering a positive nursing work environment, taking into consideration the sociodemographic, professional, and workplace characteristics of the employees.