Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between role stress, emotional exhaustion, and a supportive coworker climate among health care workers, by adopting a multilevel perspective. Methods: Aggregated data of 738 health care workers nested within 67 teams of three Italian hospitals were collected. Multilevel regression analysis with a random intercept model was used. Results: Hierarchical linear modeling showed that a lack of role clarity was significantly linked to emotional exhaustion at the individual level. At the unit level, the cross-level interaction revealed that a supportive coworker climate moderated the relationship between lack of role clarity and emotional exhaustion. Conclusion: This study supports previous results of single-level burnout studies, extending the existing literature with evidence on the multidimensional and cross-level interaction associations of a supportive coworker climate as a key aspect of job resources on burnout.

doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000001122, hdl.handle.net/1765/102326
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Portoghese, I. (Igor), Galletta, M. (Maura), Burdorf, A., Cocco, P. (Pierluigi), D'Aloja, E. (Ernesto), & Campagna, M. (Marcello). (2017). Role Stress and Emotional Exhaustion among Health Care Workers: The Buffering Effect of Supportive Coworker Climate in a Multilevel Perspective. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 59(10), e187–e193. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000001122