Stress at Work and Burnout Syndrome

Nurses and physicians working in the intensive care unit (ICU) are exposed to considerable job stress. Considerable work related stress, distress symptoms among staff have been described as being frequent, and previous studies have identified high levels of burnout symptoms among ICU staff. Burnout is a psychological concept often used as a response to long-term emotional and interpersonal stressors, usually in the work context. Burnout may be a result of too much work and too little recovery. The clinical impact of burnout may be decreased well-being (insomnia, irritability, eating problems, and depressive problems) and increased sick leave among staff. A high degree of emotional exhaustion among nurses has been shown to predict lower self-rated performances and higher intention to quit work. Characteristics of both the organization (decision makers, authority) and the work (workload, social support, and autonomy) may be associated with job satisfaction and psychological reactions like burnout in ICU professionals.