Exploring the Relationship Between Job Stressors and Emotional Exhaustion in Critical Care Nursing Units

Posted: May 14, 2021

• Luca Simmons
• Finnley Torres
• Addie Parker

Abstract

The phenomenon of emotional exhaustion among healthcare professionals, particularly those working in critical care environments, represents a significant challenge to healthcare systems worldwide. Critical care nursing units constitute environments characterized by high-stakes decision-making, intense emotional demands, and relentless pace, creating conditions ripe for the development of severe emotional exhaustion. While previous research has established broad correlations between job stressors and burnout outcomes, the precise mechanisms through which specific stressors manifest as emotional exhaustion remain inadequately understood. The current literature predominantly relies on cross-sectional survey data and retrospective self-report measures, which capture conscious perceptions of stress but fail to account for physiological stress responses and the nuanced, often subconscious, coping strategies employed by healthcare professionals. This study addresses several critical gaps in the existing literature by employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates continuous physiological monitoring with in-depth qualitative inquiry. Traditional research methodologies have treated emotional exhaustion as a static outcome variable rather than a dynamic process that evolves through complex interactions between environmental demands and individual responses. Our research reconceptualizes emotional exhaustion as a multidimensional construct influenced by both external stressors and internal regulatory processes. The investigation was guided by three primary research questions: How do specific job stressors in critical care units differentially impact physiological stress markers and subjective emotional exhaustion? What coping mechanisms do critical care nurses develop that may mask or mitigate the progression of emotional exhaustion? How do organizational and interpersonal factors moderate the relationship between job demands