An Examination of Burnout Syndrome Among Nurses During the Pandemic: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Background: Particularly nurses in critical care units (ICUs), the COVID-19 epidemic has profoundly affected medical workers. Burnout Syndrome (BOS), marked by emotional tiredness, depersonalization, and less personal achievement, has an alarming frequency resulting from extended high-stress conditions. Developing successful treatments depends on an awareness of the occurrence and contributing causes of BOS among ICU nurses.

Methods: This scoping study methodically reviewed the body of current research on BOS among COVID-19 pandemic ICU nurses. With an eye on papers published between 2019 and 2023, a thorough search was undertaken across many databases, including Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. The study sought to pinpoint specific, environmental, organizational, and personal elements related with BOS.

Results: The study found that a good number of ICU nurses claimed experiencing BOS symptoms during the epidemic. Studies found that BOS developed in response to things such rising workloads, poor PPE, and emotional toll from patient care. Especially, in certain cohorts, around 68% of ICU nurses showed symptoms of emotional tiredness; others reported great degrees of trauma-related stress.

Conclusion: The results highlight how urgently the mental health issues ICU nurses confront within current public health crises must be addressed. Reducing the risk of BOS mostly depends on implementing organized support networks, improving resources, and advancing a culture of well-being. This study not only emphasizes the important condition of ICU nurses' well-being throughout the epidemic but also provides the foundation for next treatments meant to maintain the mental health of healthcare workers under demanding conditions.