The cumulative influence of conflict on nursing home staff.

Overview

Nursing staff burnout is a significant challenge in the delivery of nursing home care. Using a representative sample of nursing staff working within the nursing home setting, our analysis addressed the influence of conflict with residents' families on the burnout experience of staff. Through the use of computer simulation modeling we were able to assess the cumulative effects of conflict between staff and families. Findings indicated that conflict with the residents' families increased both burnout and dissatisfaction among nursing staff. The burnout experience of nursing staff peaked with initial episodes of conflict, then leveled off as simulated conflict with family members continued. Because previous research has indicated that burnout tends to peak early in nurses' career cycle, the finding that initial episodes of conflict have a strong influence on nursing staff burnout highlights the importance of interpersonal conflict within nursing homes in both individual and institutional outcomes.