Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses are pivotal in ensuring high-quality care to patients with life-threatening conditions in the healthcare sector. These nurses operate in high-pressure environments that demand constant vigilance, technical proficiency, and emotional resilience. The challenging nature of their work can predispose them to burnout, a syndrome marked by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a low sense of personal accomplishment. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between burnout and perceived quality of life (QoL) among ICU nurses.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed, with 265 ICU nurses in the Hail Region, Saudi Arabia, participating in this study. Two self-report scales (23-item Burnout Assessment Tool and 15-item Quality of Life Scale) were used to collect data from March to June 2024. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients to explore the relationship between burnout levels and QoL dimensions.
Results: The findings indicated a high prevalence of burnout, with 73.2% of nurses reporting high to very high levels of burnout. The overall QoL score was moderate, averaging 64.46 out of 105. Significant negative correlations were observed between burnout and all measured dimensions of QoL (p = 0.01). These dimensions include material and physical well-being (-0.303, p = 0.01), relationships with other people (-0.337, p = 0.01), and personal development (-0.381, p = 0.01).
Conclusion: The study underscores a significant inverse relationship between burnout and QoL among ICU nurses. The data highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to reduce burnout and improve the personal well-being of nurses. This will not only enhance the quality of patient care but also ensure the sustainability of the healthcare system.
Clinical trial number: Not applicable.
Keywords: Burnout; Cross-sectional study; Intensive care unit nurses; Quality of life.
© 2025. The Author(s).