Previous studies have presented different factorial structures using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). The core elements of burnout include emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of personal accomplishment. The MBI-HSS is the most widely used questionnaire to evaluate burnout, and has been applied to various healthcare providers.

To investigate the factorial structure of a Portuguese version of the MBI-HSS for nurses in Portugal.

Secondary data analysis was implemented to explore the factor structure of MBI-HSS using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Confirmatory factor analysis was then performed to verify the modified structure for nurses in Portugal. The data provided for this study were obtained from nurses (n = 146) from 15 surgical and medical units.

The EFA found that three factors explaining 59% of the variance were extracted, and 20 out of 22 items were retained. The goodness-of-fit test was the performed using the CFA approach, and verified that the modified version of MBI-HSS is a suitable instrument for measuring burnout for nurses in Portugal.

The results confirmed the factorial structure of MBI-HSS for nurses in Portugal with a three-dimension, 20-item assessment, and the variance was not diminished in this sample. These findings demonstrate that the modified version of MBI-HSS provides a suitable instrument for measuring burnout for Portuguese nurses. Similar to other cultures, our population retained each of the items based on the theoretical structure.