Prevalence and Risk Factors of Burnout Among Nurses Working in Critical Care Units Across Selected Hospitals in Abuja

Background: Critical care nursing imposes intense psychological and physical demands on nurses, making burnout a significant occupational health concern with implications for both nurse wellbeing and patient safety. Aim: This study determined the prevalence of burnout and identified its risk factors among nurses in critical care units across selected hospitals in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study recruited 160 ICU, CCU, and emergency nurses through stratified random sampling from six hospitals. The Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory were administered alongside a risk factor questionnaire. Binary logistic regression identified independent predictors. Results: High burnout was present in 58% of participants. Emotional exhaustion was the dominant dimension. Independent predictors included nurse-to-patient ratios exceeding 1:5, work experience below three years, absent social support at work, night shift dominance, and perceived management indifference. Conclusion: Critical care nurse burnout is highly prevalent and multifactorial in the FCT. Findings support institutional wellbeing strategies including staffing optimisation, psychological support programmes, mentorship for early-career nurses, and structured nurse recognition mechanisms. Keywords: burnout, critical care nurses, ICU, Abuja, occupational health.