# burnout definition > The term 'burnout' was coined in the 1970s to describe the physical and emotional exhaustion that workers may experience on the job, especially those who provide some type of service to others [3].[[(Membrive-Jiménez et al., 2020)#^jwmwt]] > Burnout appears when workers are continuously exposed to stressors that they cannot face. This makes them feel exhausted, lacking in energy and mentally fatigued [1]. This syndrome is highly prevalent among health professionals, especially among nursing staff [4][[(Membrive-Jiménez et al., 2020)#^ue1eu]]