Background: Burnout syndrome (BS) is a significant health problem among health care
professionals (HCP). Objectives: to assess the levels of burnout dimensions among
mental health care nurses in a city in the western region, Saudi Arabia, and to investigate
the associated socio-demographic and work-related factors. Method: A cross-sectional
study was carried out among 142 nurses in a public mental hospital in a city in the western
region, Saudi Arabia during the year 2018. Data collection was based on self-administered
questionnaire including data about nurses' socio-demographic and work-related factors.
The assessment of BS dimensions (emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and
personal accomplishment (PA) was done using Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human
Service Survey (MBI-HSS) instrument. Results: Low, moderate, and high levels EE were
found among 43%, 25.4%, and 31.6% of the nurses, respectively. Low level of DP was
found in 70%, whereas moderate and high levels of DP were found in 14.5% and 15.5% of
the nurses respectively. Low, moderate and high levels of PA were found in 38%, 15.5%
and 46.5% of nurses respectively. BS was found to be associated with nurses' sex (EE) and
working ≤8 hours/day (PA). Conclusion Low to moderate level of self-reported burnout
among the mental health nurses was found. Work duration was found to play a role in
personal accomplishment subscale of burnout.