The Impact of Difficulties in End-of-Life Care and Emotional Intelligence on Burnout among Intensive Care Unit Nurses

Purpose : This correlational survey study examined the levels of difficulties in end-of-life care, emotional intelligence, and burnout among Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses and identified the effects of these variables on burnout. Methods : The participants were 145 ICU nurses with at least six months of clinical experience and direct experience caring for patients at the end-of-life at a tertiary general hospital in a metropolitan city. Data were collected from November 2 to November 10, 2022. A total of 144 valid questionnaires were included in the analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Results : The final regression model explained 45.3% of the variance in burnout (F=40.50, <i>p</i> ＜.001). Difficulties in end-of-life care (<i>β</i>=.45, <i>p</i> ＜.001) and emotional intelligence (<i>β</i>=-.34, <i>p</i> ＜ .001) were identified as significant predictors of burnout. Conclusion : This study confirmed that difficulties in end-of-life care and emotional intelligence are significant factors influencing burnout among ICU nurses. Future research should develop an empirical model to prevent burnout among ICU nurses through a multifaceted approach that incorporate these factors. In addition, developing emotional regulation and interpersonal skills training programs to enhance emotional intelligence may help reduce burnout among ICU nurses.