Burnout is a phenomenon in which the cumulative effects of a stressful work environment gradually overwhelm the defenses of staff members, causing them to psychologically withdraw. To understand the experience of professional and paraprofessional nurses suffering from burnout requires a close examination of the environments in which they function. A study was conducted to examine interpersonal (professional exposure to patients with poor prognoses for survival, work relationships, informal support), intrapersonal (coping strategies, fear of death, comfort working with patients with poor prognoses for survival), and situational (personal and work demographics) factors expected to contribute to the six dimensions of burnout among nursing staff who worked in acute care and long-term health care facilities. Professional and paraprofessional nurses (N=312) completed the Work Relationships Index of the Work Environment Scale and other measures assessing informal support; coping strategies; fear of death; and comfort working with, and professional exposure to, patients with poor prognoses. Burnout was measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Findings revealed that Work Relationships, Tension-Releasing, and Instrumental Problem-Focused Coping were the most powerful predictors of burnout. Nursing burnout appeared to be both an organizational and a personal problem. Recommendations for practice are considered. (Appended are an extensive reference list and two tables dealing with the six dimensions of burnout and the other variables assessed.)