Caring Under Strain: A Scoping Review of Burnout in Intensive Care Unit Nurses
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37287/picnhs.v7i1.492Keywords:
burnout, ICU, intensive care unit, nursesAbstract
Nurses in intensive care unit (ICUs) experience significant levels of stress due to the complex and emotionally challenging nature of providing critical care, which often involves high stakes. Over time, this stressful environment can lead to burnout, a mental health condition that causes feelings of emotional exhaustion, detachment, and reduced effectiveness. This scoping investigation examinine existing studies on the prevalence and risk factors of burnout among ICU nurses. A planned search method was used to look through four main databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, and Scopus. The search included articles published from 2015 to 2025. This review uses the PRISMA-ScR method, which is built on an Arksey and O'Malley framework. Only studies specifically addresing burnout in ICU nurses were included. Important findings were organized and grouped into various themes. Ultimately, 14 studies were included in the final analysis. Burnout prevalence among ICU nurses varied substantially across settings, ranging from 7.3% in Indonesia to 76.4% in China, with most studies reporting rates exceeding 50%. Emotional exhaustion consistently emerged as the most prominent dimension. Risk factors included younger age, female gender, psychological distress, depression, heavy workload, night shifts, do-not-resuscitate patient care, limited autonomy, workplace violence, and weak supervisory support. Burnout among ICU nurses is a serious problem that impacts the length of time healthcare professionals work and the kind of care they provide. It presents a global, multifaceted challenge with serious implications for the sustainability of the healthcare workforce and patient outcomes.
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