Examination of Job Satisfaction, Exhaustion and Anxiety Levels of Nurses Working in Intensive Care Units

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the levels of job satisfaction, burnout, and anxiety among nurses working in intensive care units. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 92 nurses employed in the intensive care units of two tertiary hospitals in Erzurum, Turkey. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Statistical analyses included t-tests, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and Dunnett’s T3 post hoc tests. Results: Nurses’ state and trait anxiety levels differed significantly based on age, department, unit preference, and self-confidence (p<0.05). Job satisfaction was significantly higher among those satisfied with their team (p<0.05). Burnout scores showed significant associations with number of children, in-service training, unit choice, and intention to change departments. Burnout was moderately negatively correlated with job satisfaction (r = –0.42) and positively correlated with both state (r = 0.39) and trait anxiety (r = 0.44) (p<0.05). Job satisfaction was negatively correlated with state and trait anxiety (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for targeted strategies to enhance job satisfaction and reduce psychological distress among ICU nurse.