Academic Burnout Among Undergraduate Nursing Students Worldwide: A Critical Review of Current Evidence, Challenges, and Future Directions

Academic burnout among undergraduate nursing students is increasingly recognized as a key factor hindering student well-being and the sustainability of the nursing workforce. This review synthesizes research published between 2020 and July 2025, focusing on the prevalence, determinants, and interventions for burnout. Multilevel analyses suggest that burnout is influenced by individual factors (e.g., low self-efficacy, anxiety, depression), institutional pressures (e.g., rigid curriculum, exam-based assessments, inadequate mentoring), and sociocultural factors (e.g., weak professional identity, limited recognition of nursing). Intervention studies, including resilience training, curriculum reform, and social support programs, show promise but are limited by small scale, inconsistent implementation, and a lack of rigorous empirical evaluation. Future research should prioritize longitudinal and cross-cultural designs, develop nursing-specific measurement tools, and incorporate empirical findings into curriculum and policy reforms. Reframing academic burnout as a collective responsibility rather than an individual deficiency is crucial for building an emotionally sustainable and professionally resilient nursing education system.