The Effects of Grit, Emergency Nursing Competency, and Positive Nursing Organisational Culture on Burnout Among Nurses in the Emergency Department

This descriptive cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between grit, emergency nursing competency, positive nursing organisational culture, and burnout among emergency department nurses and identified the factors influencing burnout. The study participants were 176 nurses from one tertiary and six general hospitals in Chungcheong-do, South Korea. Data were collected from 18 July to 10 August 2024 and analysed using hierarchical multiple regression. Burnout was negatively correlated with grit (<i>r</i> = -0.57, <i>p</i> < 0.001), emergency nursing competency (<i>r</i> = -0.41, <i>p</i> < 0.001), and positive nursing organisational culture (<i>r</i> = -0.60, <i>p</i> < 0.001). It was also negatively correlated with the subdomains of positive nursing organisational culture: active leadership of nurse managers (<i>r</i> = -0.46, <i>p</i> < 0.001), pursuit of shared values (<i>r</i> = -0.55, <i>p</i> < 0.001), trust-based organisational relationship formation (<i>r</i> = -0.62, <i>p</i> < 0.001), and fair management systems (<i>r</i> = -0.55, <i>p</i> < 0.001). The regression analysis showed two variables that significantly affected burnout-trust-based organisational relationship formation in positive nursing organisational culture (β = -0.31, <i>p</i> = 0.012) and grit (β = -0.29, <i>p</i> < 0.001); their explanatory power was 44.0% (F = 18.19, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Thus, positive nursing organisational culture and grit were major factors affecting burnout. Therefore, to prevent and effectively manage burnout among emergency department nurses, nursing organisations must create a positive organisational atmosphere based on mutual respect and trust, promoting active participation in work, decision-making, and collaboration.