Communication satisfaction and job satisfaction among critical care nurses and their impact on burnout and intention to leave: A questionnaire study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between communication and job satisfaction and their association with intention to leave and burnout among intensive care unit nurses.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: A multicentre questionnaire study.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Intensive care nurses (n = 303) from three Flemish hospitals.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Communication satisfaction assessed by the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire, intention to leave through the Turnover Intention Scale (from the Questionnaire for the Perception and Assessment of Labour) and burnout by the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Job satisfaction was measured by a visual analogue scale.

RESULTS: Average job satisfaction was 7.66 ± 1.34/10. Nurses were most satisfied about 'Communication with supervisor' (68.46%), and most dissatisfied about 'Organisational perspectives' (34.12%). Turnover intention was low among 49.5% (150/290) and high among 6.6% (20/290). Three percent (9/299) of intensive care nurses were at risk for burnout. All dimensions of communication satisfaction were moderately associated with job satisfaction, intention to leave and burnout.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated high levels of communication and job satisfaction in a sample of nurses in Flanders. Intention to leave and burnout prevalence were low. To a certain extent, communication satisfaction might be associated with job satisfaction, intention to leave and burnout.