Introduction. The work of nurses in anesthesia and intensive care units is regarded as one of the most straining jobs. During their professional duties, nurses are in permanent contact with patients, and are affected by their problems. This may infl uence their physical, mental, and emotional functioning, as well as their work and family life. Strong nervous tension and inability to cope with a professional burden result in a burnout syndrome. It is an inevitable consequence of destruction that occurs in the psyche of people who excessively exploit themselves when serving others. Aim. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of the burnout syndrome among anesthesia nurses employed in intensive care units and in operating blocks with regard to sociodemographic variables. Material and methods. This survey-based study involved 104 anesthesia nurses at the mean age of 48.79 years (SD = 9.48), working in intensive care units and operating blocks in four hospitals in the Westpomeranian Province. The research instruments were a self-developed questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Results. According to the MBI, for the whole study sample job burnout was on a moderate level. Depersonalization and emotional exhaustion were on average levels. The nurses presented rather high levels of professional satisfaction. Conclusions. Stressful work favors the occurrence of the burnout syndrome. The risk of job burnout increases with the number of years in nursing profession.

Key words: anesthesia nurses, job burnout, professional satisfaction.