The influence of stressors and coping strategies in hospice workers

The present study examines the importance of work-related stressors and coping strategies as factors contributing to burnout experienced by hospice workers. A crosssection survey design was used, with a sample of 78 hospice workers drawn from hospices in Bloemfontein (Free State) and Ladysmith (KZN). The Life and Work Circumstances Questionnaire (Van Zyl & Van der Walt, 1991), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson, 1996), and the Cope Scale (Carver, Scheier & Weintraub, 1989) were administered. A hierarchical regression analysis was used to determine the relative contribution of different job-related stressors such as job insecurity, task characteristics, career matters and organisational functioning to burnout experienced by participants, and also to determine the effect of coping strategies, namely problem-focused, emotionally-focused and ineffective coping strategies on burnout. The results indicated that 43 % of the sample reported high levels of burnout, with 67% experiencing high levels of emotional exhaustion. The most important stressors were related to organisational functioning, stressors outside the work situation, task characteristics, and career matters. Problem-focused and ineffective coping strategies also played a significant role in burnout.