Relationship between job demand and burnout in nurses: does it depend on work engagement?

© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd Aim: The present study aimed to deepen the understanding of the relationships among job demands, control, social support, burnout and engagement in nurses. Background: Burnout is a prevalent phenomenon among nurses because of the interaction between high demands and low resources, according to the job demands–resources model. Methods: A descriptive, correlational design was used in a stratified random sample of 100 nurses recruited from two Spanish hospitals. Job demand, social support, control, engagement, and burnout were measured. Data were analysed by hierarchical regression analysis. Results: Social support is a significant predictor of nurses’ engagement and demands is a predictor of nurses’ burnout. Work engagement moderates the relationship between job demands and burnout. Conclusions: The process that leads to burnout and the process that leads to engagement are not isolated processes; engagement acts as a moderator of burnout. Implications for nursing management: The prevailing paradigm in combating burnout in nursing can be changed and could be based on the enhancement of nurses’ strengths through increasing engagement.