The Relationship Between Job Burnout and the Health Status of Intensive Care Unit Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study

Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses face significant occupational stress, leading to job burnout and compromised health, which affects patient care quality. This study examines the relationship between job burnout and general health among ICU nurses in Sanandaj, Iran, in 2024.

A cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was conducted with 101 ICU nurses from three Sanandaj hospitals, selected via simple random sampling. Data were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), and a demographic questionnaire. Statistical analyses included Pearson's correlation, t-tests, ANOVA, and linear regression, performed with SPSS version 17.

Participants [mean (SD) age 35.10 (7.51) years, 58% female] showed a high burnout mean, 55.99 (11.03), and a poor general health mean, 54.41 (14.07), with anxiety/insomnia, 14.75 (4.83), most prevalent. A significant moderate positive correlation (p < 0.001) was found between burnout and general health, indicating worse health with higher burnout. Burnout was negatively correlated with work experience (r = -0.23, p = 0.018) and income (r = -0.22, p = 0.025) and weakly positively correlated with overtime (r = 0.20, p = 0.044). General health was negatively correlated with work experience (r = -0.22, p = 0.023) and income (r = -0.30, p = 0.002). Linear regression showed marital status (p = 0.021) and general health (p < 0.001) as significant burnout predictors.

High burnout among ICU nurses in Sanandaj is linked to poorer health, influenced by marital status, work experience, overtime, and income. Interventions targeting workload and stress are vital for nurse wellbeing and healthcare outcomes.