Burnout Among Intensive Care Unit Nurses

Abstract

Burnout among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses has become a huge concern, due to their working environment that includes, constant pressure, emotional stress and huge responsibilities. This study aimed to discuss how it affects the impact on nurses, job satisfaction and retention and what coping mechanisms may be used to lessen burnout in the intensive care unit. A systematic literature review was conducted on nine (9) qualitative studies published between 2019 and 2025. The theories Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), which helped structure the understanding of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased professional accomplishment, and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, which provided a clear view for examining how workplace demands and available resources shape nurses' well-being, together increased the depth and clarity of the findings. The results showed that burnout is seen as an emotional and psychological stress that slowly reduces nurses' energy and feeling of purpose in their work. Nurses employed different personal coping techniques, such as excellent leadership, healthy teamwork, and moderate workloads, but education on it was considerably important in protecting nurses' well-being. The need for healthcare organizations to take an active, well-structured approach to reduce burnout, ensuring that ICU nurses are supported not only professionally but also as individuals is essential.