Knowledge mapping of burnout among nursing professionals: A bibliometric study

Background

Occupational burnout is defined as a state of physical and mental exhaustion resulting from prolonged exposure to work-related stress, which is particularly evident among healthcare workers. With the changing global health situation, nurses are experiencing increased work pressures, leading to a growing incidence of occupational burnout. This affects not only the physical and mental well-being of nurses but also the quality of nursing care provided. Therefore, research on occupational burnout among nurses is of great significance. Our objective was to review systematically the current research status, identify key hotspots, and analyze trends in this field through bibliometric analysis, thereby offering a reference for future research.

Methods

In this study, literature related to occupational burnout among nurses published between January 2004 and April 2024 in the Web of Science database was retrieved. For trend comparisons, 2024 publication volume was annualized by multiplying Jan-Apr counts by 3. A total of 977 articles were included for analysis. Tools such as the "bibliometrix" package in R software, Citespace 6.3.R1, and VOSviewer were used to conduct statistical analyses on the publication year, authors, journals, keywords, etc. of the literature.

Results

From our results, we demonstrated that the number of studies in this field had risen steadily, with a marked surge following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In terms of research output, the United States (US) (204 articles) China (185 articles), and Spain (77 articles) were in the leading positions. Meanwhile, strong collaborative relationships were found between the US and China, as well as between Spain and Chile. Leading institutions included Universidad de Granada (22 articles), the University of Pennsylvania (20 articles), and Shandong University (17 articles). We identified two authors as having made foundational contributions, while Nursing and Public Health were core journals. Keyword evolution revealed three research phases: early emphasis on mental health correlations (2004–2010), mid-phase focus on job satisfaction predictors (2013–2019), and post-2020 systemic analyses addressing COVID- 19′s impact on intensive care unit burnout. Protective factors, such as structural empowerment, gained prominence after 2015, signaling a shift toward research on preventive approaches.

Conclusion

Through bibliometric analysis, we have presented stress, job satisfaction, and caregiving as enduring focal themes in research on burnout among nursing professionals. Recent trends have highlighted an escalated focus on pandemic-amplified factors. We have presented comprehensively the research status and trends in the field of occupational burnout among nurses, providing a reference basis for in-depth research. However, the study has limitations, such as data sources and language restrictions. Future researchers can further broaden the data sources and pay attention to the issue of occupational burnout in different cultural backgrounds.