PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL BURNOUT AMONG INTENSIVE CARE UNIT NURSES AND STRATEGIES FOR ITS PREVENTION

Abstract

This Master's thesis explores the phenomenon of psycho-emotional burnout among nurses working in intensive care units (ICUs) and investigates effective strategies for its prevention. The research is motivated by the increasing incidence of burnout among ICU nurses, which adversely impacts their mental health, job performance, and quality of patient care. The objectives of the study are to: • Analyze the prevalence and key causes of psycho-emotional burnout among ICU nurses; • Critically review the current literature and theoretical models explaining burnout; • Conduct primary research to assess the level of burnout among ICU nurses in a selected clinical setting; • Identify personal, organizational, and systemic factors that contribute to burnout; • Propose evidence-based strategies for the prevention and management of burnout in ICU environments. The compound research questions formulated for the study are: • What are the primary personal and organizational factors associated with psycho-emotional burnout among ICU nurses? • How effective are existing interventions in preventing burnout in intensive care settings? The methodology involves a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative survey data (using the Maslach Burnout Inventory - MBI) and qualitative interviews to gain deeper insight into nurses' experiences and coping mechanisms. Secondary data sources include recent scholarly articles, clinical guidelines, and psychological theories on occupational stress and burnout. The findings of the research reveal a high prevalence of burnout symptoms among ICU nurses, strongly associated with factors such as excessive workload, emotional exhaustion, lack of social support, and organizational inefficiencies. The study concludes with a set of evidence-based recommendations aimed at reducing burnout risks, including stress management training, staffing optimization, peer support programs, and leadership initiatives promoting workplace well-being. The results of this research contribute to a deeper understanding of psycho-emotional burnout and offer practical strategies that can be adopted by healthcare institutions to improve the mental health and professional resilience of ICU nurses.