IMPACT OF THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT WORK ROUTINE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF NURSING PROFESSIONALS: AN INTEGRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

The work routine in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) exposes nursing professionals to multiple stressors that significantly affect their mental health. This study aimed to analyze the impact of ICU work routines on the mental health of nursing professionals, identifying the main manifestations of psychological distress and the individual and institutional coping strategies described in the scientific literature. An integrative literature review was conducted using the SciELO, LILACS, PubMed/MEDLINE, and BDENF databases, including studies published between 2020 and 2026. The guiding research question was developed using the PICo strategy, and data analysis followed thematic categorization according to the framework proposed by Mendes, Silveira, and Galvão (2008). At the end of the selection process, 12 articles comprised the final sample. The results revealed a high prevalence of burnout syndrome, chronic occupational stress, anxiety, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with a marked worsening during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The main triggering factors identified were exhausting work schedules, workload overload, low institutional support, continuous exposure to patient suffering and death, and gender inequalities that increase the overall workload of female workers. The most effective coping strategies combined individual interventions with structural changes in the workplace. It is concluded that the mental health of ICU nurses is a strategic component of hospital safety and quality of care, requiring preventive institutional policies and management committed to workers’ well-being.