Stressogenic factors and burn-out syndrome in operating room nurses: a review of the literature

Abstract

National and international literature reports numerous examples of how nurses are a category particularly prone to burnout; specifically, nurses working in the Operating Room seem to be particularly at risk, to the point that a recent study reported that 70.3% of this population experienced high levels of work-related stress, leading to an increased risk of burnout. Therefore, a narrative literature review was conducted to identify stress-related factors affecting nursing staff in the operating room. A total of 9 studies from international contexts were included. The studies found that the identified stress factors included job security and personal training issues, conflicts with medical staff, and reported aggressive behavior from surgeons. There is a need for Italian studies on the topic.