Mentor

Peoples, Linda

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

Abstract 

Burnout among psychiatric technicians contributes to emotional exhaustion, decreased job satisfaction, workforce instability, and reduced quality of patient care. Despite increasing recognition of healthcare worker well-being as a priority, limited evidence exists regarding interventions specifically designed for psychiatric technicians. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to implement and evaluate a structured mental health workshop designed to reduce burnout and improve job satisfaction among psychiatric technicians employed in inpatient, outpatient, and group home mental health settings. A mixed-methods case study utilizing a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was conducted with a convenience sample of 41 participants. Quantitative data were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and the Short Index of Job Satisfaction (SIJS). In contrast, qualitative data were obtained through post-intervention interviews with participants. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were the primary analyses because several outcome variables violated the assumption of normality. Paired-samples t tests were conducted as sensitivity analyses and supported the nonparametric findings. Statistically significant improvements were observed across all burnout subscales and job satisfaction following the intervention. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization significantly decreased, whereas personal accomplishment and job satisfaction significantly increased (p < .001), with large effect sizes (r = .70–.79). Qualitative analysis identified five themes, including improved stress management, enhanced coping strategies, stronger workplace relationships, increased job satisfaction, and strong support for continued implementation of similar workshops. These findings suggest that structured mental health workshops are an effective evidence-based strategy for reducing burnout and improving job satisfaction among psychiatric technicians across diverse mental health care settings.

Keywords: burnout, psychiatric technicians, mixed-methods case study, mental health workshop, job satisfaction, resilience

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