Burnout, Depression, and Job Stress Among Nurses Caring for Do-Not-Resuscitate Patients

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship among psychological stress, burnout, and depression in nurses, and contribute to the development of nursing guidelines for the care of Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) patients and their families. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to nurse at a hospital from mid-August to the end of August 2024. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS WIN 23.0 program for descriptive statistics, frequencies, and percentages. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and t-test were used to analyze the correlation, and one-way ANOVA along with post hoc testing was used to assess group differences. Results: The participants’mean scores were 58.52±13.23, 26.06±2.93, and 76.40±20.49 for burnout, depression, and job stress, respectively. Burnout showed significant positive correlations with depression (r=.43, p<.001) and job stress (r=.58, p<.001). Additionally, depression was significantly positively correlated with job stress (r=.19, p=.038). Conclusion: Nurses caring for DNR patients experience stress, depression, and burnout in a linked manner. Therefore, high-quality nursing guidelines for DNR patient care that considers the physical and psychological aspects of nurses who experience difficulties in nursing must be developed and applied.