Organizational Factors Affecting Burnout in Veterinary Nurses: A Systematic Review

Situated within an important nexus for many human-animal relationships is the profession of veterinary nursing, a profession in which burnout is an increasing problem, affecting wellbeing and retention and, consequently, animal welfare. Self-care strategies can reduce the effects of burnout in the short term. However, organizational interventions are required to achieve long term change. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout in veterinary nurses and identify organizational risk factors, in accordance with the Areas of Worklife model, that must be addressed to reduce burnout in this population. Seven databases and Google Scholar were searched using terms related to "burnout" and "veterinary nurses." Primary empirical studies published in English that examined organizational factors related to burnout in veterinary nurses were eligible for inclusion. Article screening and selection was completed by two reviewers and quality assessment was carried out using two validated quality assessment tools. Twelve articles were identified: nine cross-sectional surveys and three mixed-methods studies. Available data were insufficient to accurately determine burnout prevalence, but it appears that veterinary nurses are at moderate to high risk of developing burnout. Organizational risk factors for burnout in veterinary nurses were identified in all six Areas of Worklife domains (Workload, Control, Reward, Community, Fairness, and Values). Common risk factors include high workload, low control and autonomy, underutilization, low remuneration, co-worker incivility, inequitable treatment, poor work-life balance, and exposure to animal suffering, euthanasia, and death. Recommended management strategies include increased opportunities for skill utilization and development, workload and task adjustments, and increased schedule control. However, the extent to which these strategies are effective in individuals and practicable for organizations remains poorly understood. Future research should address how these risk factors impact individuals and organizations to better inform organizational intervention strategies.