BURNOUT AMONG NURSES IN URGENCY CARE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES: AN INTEGRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Burnout syndrome (BS) is an occupational phenomenon related to physical and mental exhaustion that affects nurses, particularly those working in urgent care and emergency departments. The objective of this study was to identify the factors associated with the development of BS among nurses in urgent care and emergency departments. This is an integrative literature review with a qualitative approach, guided by the PEO strategy. The literature search was conducted between February and October 2026 in the following databases: Virtual Health Library (BVS), BDENF, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and PubMed, considering articles published between 2022 and 2026 in Portuguese or English. 1,744 records were identified, and after applying the exclusion and inclusion criteria, 10 studies were selected for the final sample. The findings showed that work overload, constant pressure, low pay, and frequent exposure to patients’ suffering contribute to professional burnout. Among the identified consequences, the most notable are psychological distress, decreased job satisfaction, an increase in care errors, and the desire to leave the profession. The use of coping strategies proved essential in the prevention and management of occupational stress. It is concluded that working conditions in urgent and emergency care services expose nurses to risk factors that increase their vulnerability to developing the syndrome.