Background: The exploitative behaviors of the leaders have negative impacts on organization as well as staff nurses. Exploitative / dark side of leadership is an assistant cause to burnout in nursing. Aim:  This study aimed to assess the relationship between exploitative leadership and burnout among staff nurses at Beni-Suef University Hospital. Method: A correlational descriptive design was used, 179 staff nurses were convenient sample participated in the study from critical care units at Beni-Suef University Hospital. Data were collected by using two tools namely; Nursing staff perception of exploitative leadership questionnaire to measure nurses' perception about exploitative leadership and Maslach Burnout Inventory Questionnaire. The tool is designed to measure burnout among individuals working in health care occupations including nursing. Results: Demonstrated that more than three quarters of studied staff nurses had low levels of exploitative leadership perception, and less than three quarters of them experienced moderate level of burnout. Conclusion:  There was a highly statistically significant correlation between exploitative leadership and burnout among studied staff nurses. Recommendations: Providing training programs for nursing leaders to avoid exploitative leadership behaviors, and for staff nurses to increase their awareness about other destructive forms of leadership, exploitation, and how to cope with it