Mitigating Nurse Burnout Using Emotional Intelligence Training and Nurse Leader Rounding

Abstract

Nurse burnout, characterized by Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DP), and reduced Personal Accomplishment (PA), has gained significant attention due to its adverse effects on nurses' well-being and workforce turnover. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the nursing shortage, amplifying stress and burnout among nurses. These challenges emphasize the pressing need to address nurse burnout as an emergency. Analysis of exit interviews at a Ventura County home health and hospice organization shows that 20% of nurses who resigned between 2019 and 2022 faced burnout or mismatched expectations about the work environment. This DNP Quality Improvement (QI) project addressed nurse burnout by implementing evidence-based interventions, including nurse leader rounding and Emotional Intelligence (EI) training between October 2023 and March 2024. Deming’s Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement method was adopted and utilized as a framework in this QI project. This project involved three stages that included EI training conducted within the organization using educational materials and audio-visual aids, monthly nurse leader rounding, wherein each leader administered face-to-face meetings with their reports over three consecutive months, followed by three additional rounding sessions to sustain practice change. Fifteen nurses and three nurse leaders voluntarily participated in this project. Data were analyzed across three time points: baseline data pre-project implementation in October 2023, mid-point in December 2023, and by the end of the project in March 2024. It was observed that there was a significant decrease in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization measures throughout the project duration, aligning with project goals. Specifically, emotional exhaustion showed a significant decline, meeting objectives 3 and 5. Depersonalization scores also demonstrated improvement over the project timeline. Personal accomplishment scores initially rose by December 2023 before stabilizing by March 2024. Future strategies should explore sustained interventions to bolster nurse’s well-being and organizational outcomes.