ICU Nurses and Burnout

Abstract

This article summarizes existing literature and experiences about the work environment in intensive care units by health professionals especially nurses as they are the constant and major workforce in the health care field. Intensive care units are dedicated sections of hospitals where medical staff members give continuous care and advanced life support around-the-clock. Nurses are considered to be at high risk due to stressful working environments including emergency care, high mortality & morbidity, ethical dilemmas, and pain care causing physical and emotional exhaustion leading to Burnout Syndrome. Although there is a vast literature on burnout among ICU nurses, there is a constant need to investigate emerging risk factors and ways to prevent and manage them. This article aims to discuss regarding working environment the nurses in ICUs are at risk and their solutions at individual, collaborative, and systemic levels which may decline burnout among ICU nurses.