The role of support in struggling with burnout syndrome in a group of oncology nurses

Introduction
People working closely with other people are subjected to burnout syndrome. Dealing with suffering and ill people requires commitment from nurses. They show their understanding, care, and sympathy, but sometimes they also need support from others. Social support plays an essential role in dealing with stressful situations.

Aim of the study
To define the meaning of social support in dealing with burnout syndrome among oncology nurses as a determinant in maintaining optimal health.

Material and methods
The research was conducted among the group of nurse practitioners working in the Oncology Centre in Bydgoszcz. Burnout syndrome was tested using the MBI burnout questionnaire by Maslach, and the received social support was assessed using the social support scale by Kmiecik-Baran.

Results
The level of the social support in the tested group was on a high level. Nurses receive most of the support from their spouses and families and least from their colleagues. Emotional, instrumental, and informative support was on a high level. Males, between 21 and 30 years of age, living in the countryside, and having children received higher levels of support. People who would not have picked the nursing profession if they were to decide again and those who were not satisfied with their job expected more support; additionally, those nurses present the highest rate of burnout syndrome. The examined group experienced burnout syndrome at an average level.

Conclusions
The results may be helpful in better understanding the importance of social support in order to prevent burnout syndrome. The introduction of prevention will allow the consequences of burnout to be counteracted effectively.