Burnout syndrome in nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. A bibliometric review

Burnout syndrome, manifested as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, constitutes a critical issue for the nursing profession, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric review to analyze the patterns and trends in scientific production on burnout syndrome in nursing during the 2020–2024 period. The research was carried out using a quantitative approach, with the Scopus database serving as the main source. The bibliometric analysis tools Bibliometrix and VOSviewer were applied to process and analyze a total of 1593 documents related to the central theme. The results demonstrate an exponential increase in publications starting in 2020, reaching their peak in 2022 and subsequently showing a slight decrease. The United States is positioned as the most prolific country and the one with the largest international collaboration network. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and PLOS ONE were identified as the leading journals for dissemination. Keyword analysis highlights the centrality of terms such as “COVID-19″ and “anxiety,” and the emergence of topics like “work engagement” and “depersonalization.” The disciplines of Medicine and Nursing predominate, although key contributions from the social sciences and psychology were also identified, with seminal authors such as Maslach and Stamm maintaining their conceptual relevance. The bibliometric analysis offers an integral view of the scientific development on burnout syndrome during the pandemic, highlighting the thematic density and opportunities for future research. The need for a more comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the problem is emphasized. Nonetheless, the exclusive use of the Scopus database is identified as a methodological limitation, suggesting the inclusion of other bibliographic sources in subsequent studies to achieve a broader view of the field of study.