Self-Transcendence and Burnout in Hospice and Oncology Nurses

Self-transcendence is both a developmental point and an innate coping resource that allows one to overcome one's own ego concerns in a search for new perspectives and meaning. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in self-transcendence between hospice and oncology nurses and identify relationships between self-transcendence and the three aspects of burnout syndrome: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Reed's theory of self-transcendence was used. The sample included 563 nurses, 244 hospice nurses, and 319 oncology nurses in the United States who completed mailed surveys. There were significant differences in self-transcendence between hospice and oncology nurses (P < .001). Significant correlations existed between self-transcendence and the three aspects of burnout for both groups of nurses (P < .01). Additional study is needed to further explore self-transcendence in nurses and identify effective ways to promote and nurture nurses' self-transcendence.