Latar belakang: Tingginya tekanan kerja dan peliknya permasalahan yang muncul di masa pandemi COVID-19 menyebabkan tenaga keperawatan mengalami burnout, tak terkecuali kepala ruangan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi burnout yang dialami kepala ruangan di masa pandemi COVID-19. Metode: penelitian ini merupakan deskriptif kualitatif menggunakan analisis tematik. Sampling: sebanyak 12 kepala ruangan yang diambil dari RS Fatmawati dan RSUD Depok yang dipilih menggunakan teknik purposif sampling. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara semiterstuktur secara daring. Hasil: Eksplorasi burnout kepala ruangan mendapatkan 6 tema yaitu 1) kendala layanan yang dialami, 2) emotional exhausted, 3) stressor di luar pekerjaan, 4) perubahan status kesehatan 5) mekanisme koping adaptif, dan 6) dukungan yang didapatkan. Kesimpulan: kepala ruangan mengalami burnout di masa pandemi akibat adanya kendala pelaksanaan peran dan fungsi manajemen disertai tinginya stressor di luar pekerjaan namun dengan mekanisme koping adaptif yang diterapkan dengan dukungan dari dalam dan luar lingkungan kerja, membuat kepala ruangan bisa melalui kondisi krisis di masa pandemi COVID-19.

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Background: The high work pressure and the problems complexity that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic caused nursing staff to experience burnout, including head nurse. This study aimed to explore the burnout experienced by the head nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: this research is a qualitative descriptive using thematic analysis. Sampling: 12 head nurses were taken from Fatmawati Hospital and Depok Regional Hospital which were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data was collected by online semi-structured interviews. Results: Exploration of head nurse burnout found 6 themes: 1) service constraints experienced, 2) emotional exhausted, 3) stressors outside of work, 4) changes in health status 5) adaptive coping mechanisms, and 6) support obtained. Conclusion: the head nurse experienced burnout during the pandemic due to obstacles in carrying out management roles and functions accompanied by high stressors outside of work but with adaptive coping mechanisms that were applied with support from inside and outside the work environment, making the head nurses able to go through the crisis conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic.