SÍNDROME DE BURNOUT EM ENFERMEIROS QUE ATUAM EM UTI: FATORES ASSOCIADOS E ESTRATÉGIAS DE ENFRENTAMENTO

Abstract

Summary: Burnout Syndrome (BS) is characterized as a work-related psychological disorder, marked by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low professional accomplishment. Among nursing professionals working in Intensive Care Units (ICU), the syndrome is highly relevant due to intense work conditions, overload of care, and constant exposure to patients' suffering and death. This study aimed to analyze the factors associated with the development of BS in intensive care nurses, as well as to identify coping and prevention strategies used in this context. This is an integrative literature review conducted in the databases MEDLINE, LILACS, and SciELO, through the Virtual Health Library (BVS), from August 2025 to April 2026. The DeCs “nurse”, “nurses,” “Burnout,” “professional exhaustion,” “intensive care unit,” and “ICU” were used, combined with the Boolean operators AND and OR. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 12 articles made up the final sample of the study. The results showed that the main factors linked to Burnout include long work hours, multiple job commitments, lack of rest, low professional recognition, high emotional load, and a highly stressful environment. There was also a significant impact on the mental and physical health of professionals, affecting job performance and patient safety. It was concluded that preventing the syndrome requires integrated interventions, involving both individual self-care strategies and organizational changes aimed at valuing professionals, improving working conditions, and promoting the mental health of intensive care nurses.