Understanding and prioritizing nurses’ mental health and well-being

Healthcare organizations continue to feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including prolonged workforce shortages, rising labor costs, and increased staff burnout. 1 The World Health Organization defines burnout as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” with symptoms including “feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.” For more, see “Burn-out an ‘occupational phenomenon’: International Classification of Diseases,” World Health Organization, May 28, 2019; and “Doctors not the only ones feeling burned out,” Harvard Gazette , March 31, 2023. Although nurses routinely experience job-related stress and symptoms of burnout, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the challenges of this high-intensity role.

About the research collaboration between the American Nurses Foundation and McKinsey

The American Nurses Foundation is a national research, educational, and philanthropic affiliate of the American Nurses Association committed to advancing the nursing profession by serving as a thought leader, catalyst for action, convener, and funding conduit. The American Nurses Foundation and McKinsey are partnering to assess and report on trends related to the nursing profession. A foundational part of this effort is jointly publishing novel insights related to supporting nurses throughout their careers.

In April and May 2023, the American Nurses Foundation and McKinsey surveyed 7,419 nurses in the United States to better understand their experiences, needs, preferences, and career intentions. All survey questions were based on the experiences of the individual professional. All questions were also optional for survey respondents; therefore, the number of responses may vary by question. Additionally, publicly shared examples, tools, and healthcare systems referenced in this article are representative of actions that stakeholders are taking to address workforce challenges.

As part of an ongoing, collaborative research effort, the American Nurses Foundation (the Foundation) and McKinsey surveyed more than 7,000 nurses in April and May 2023 to better understand mental health and well-being in the nursing workforce (see sidebar “About the research collaboration between the American Nurses Foundation and McKinsey”). The survey results revealed that symptoms of burnout and mental-health challenges among nurses remain high; the potential long-term workforce and health implications of these persistent pressures are not yet fully understood.

In this report, we share the highlights of our most recent survey and trends over the past few years. As healthcare organizations and other stakeholders continue to evolve their approaches to these important issues, this research provides additional insight into the challenges nurses face today and highlights opportunities to ensure adequate support to sustain the profession and ensure access to care for patients.

Current state of the nursing workforce

Although many organizations have taken steps to address the challenges facing the nursing workforce, findings from the joint American Nurses Foundation and McKinsey survey from May 2023 indicate that continued action is required. Nursing turnover is beginning to decline from its 2021 high but remains above prepandemic levels. 2 2023 NSI national health care retention & RN staffing report , NSI Nursing Solutions, 2023. Intent to leave also remains high: about 20 percent of surveyed nurses indicated they had changed positions in the past six months, and about 39 percent indicated they were likely to leave their current position in the next six months. 3 Based on data from Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: Mental Health and Wellness Survey 4. Intent to leave was roughly 41 percent among nurses who provide direct care to patients, compared with 30 percent for nurses not in direct-patient-care roles. 4 Based on data from Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: Mental Health and Wellness Survey 4.

Surveyed nurses who indicated they were likely to leave cited not feeling valued by their organizations, insufficient staffing, and inadequate compensation as the top three factors influencing their decisions. 5 Based on data from Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: Mental Health and Wellness Survey 4. Insufficient staffing was especially important to respondents with less than ten years of experience 6 Based on data from Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: Mental Health and Wellness Survey 4. —a population that will be critical to retain to ensure future workforce stability.

Key survey insights on mental health and well-being

Our joint research highlighted the magnitude of the health and well-being challenges, both physical and mental, facing the nursing workforce. More than 57 percent of surveyed nurses indicated they had been diagnosed with COVID-19, and 11 percent of those indicated they had been diagnosed with post-COVID-19 conditions (PCC or “long COVID”). Additional research may be needed to fully understand the impact of PCC on nurses, but in the meantime, employers could consider augmenting their PCC services for clinicians.

Research conducted by both the Foundation and McKinsey over the past three years has identified sustained feelings of burnout among surveyed nurses—a trend that continued this year. 7 For more, see the following articles: “Mental health and wellness survey 1,” American Nurses Foundation, August 2020; “Mental health and wellness survey 2,” American Nurses Foundation, December 2020; “Mental health and wellness survey 3,” American Nurses Foundation, September 2021; Gretchen Berlin, Meredith Lapointe, Mhoire Murphy, and Molly Viscardi, “ Nursing in 2021: Retaining the healthcare workforce when we need it most ,” McKinsey, May 11, 2021; Gretchen Berlin, Meredith Lapointe, Mhoire Murphy, and Joanna Wexler, “ Assessing the lingering impact of COVID-19 on the nursing workforce ,” McKinsey, May 11, 2022; “ Nursing in 2023: How hospitals are confronting shortages ,” McKinsey, May 5, 2023. Reported contributors to burnout include insufficient staffing, high patient loads, poor and difficult leadership, and too much time spent on administrative tasks. In our joint survey, 56 percent of nurses reported experiencing symptoms of burnout, such as emotional exhaustion (Exhibit 1). Well more than half (64 percent) indicated they feel “a great deal of stress” because of their jobs. Additionally, although there have been slight improvements year over year in respondents’ reports of stress, anxiety, and feeling overwhelmed, reports of positive emotions such as feeling empowered, grateful, and confident have declined. 8 “Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series results,” American Nurses Foundation, accessed October 20, 2023.

Our results indicate that mental health and well-being vary by nurse experience levels (Exhibit 2). Less-tenured nurse respondents were more likely to report less satisfaction with their role, had a higher likelihood of leaving their role, and were more likely to be experiencing burnout.

Despite these sustained and high levels of burnout, approximately two-thirds of surveyed nurses indicated they were not currently receiving mental-health support (a figure that remained relatively consistent in Foundation surveys over the past two years), and 56 percent of surveyed nurses believe there is stigma attached to mental-health challenges. 9 Based on data from Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: Mental Health and Wellness Survey 4; “Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses,” accessed October 20, 2023.

Reasons cited by nurse respondents for not seeking professional mental-health support have remained consistent over the past two years, 10 “Mental health and wellness survey 3,” September 2021. with 29 percent indicating a lack of time, 23 percent indicating they feel they should be able to handle their own mental health, and 10 percent citing cost or a lack of financial resources (Exhibit 3). For nurses with ten or fewer years of experience, lack of time ranked as the top reason for not seeking professional mental help.

Despite slight improvements to the most severe symptoms over the past six to 12 months, reported levels of sustained burnout and well-being challenges have remained consistently high since we began assessing this population in 2021. Moreover, research indicates that burnout has several adverse, long-term health effects; for example, it is a predictor of a wide range of illnesses. 11 Denise Albieri Jodas Salvagioni et al., “Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies,” PLoS One , October 2017, Volume 12, Number 10; D. Smith Bailey, “Burnout harms workers’ physical health through many pathways,” Monitor on Psychology , June 2006, Volume 37, Number 7. These health conditions incur not only personal costs but also societal and organizational costs because they influence productivity, employee retention, presence at work, and career longevity. 12 Prioritise people: Unlock the value of a thriving workforce , Business in the Community and the McKinsey Health Institute, April 2023.

Actions stakeholders can take to address mental health and well-being

To address these sustained levels of burnout, stakeholders will need to take steps to support nurses’ mental health and well-being. They will also need to address the underlying structural issues—for example, workload and administrative burden—that affect the nursing profession and that have been consistently acknowledged as root causes of burnout. Simultaneously reducing workload demands and increasing resources available to meet those demands will be critical.

A variety of interventions could address the drivers and effects of adverse nursing mental health and well-being, bolstering support for individuals, organizations, and the healthcare system at large. Various stakeholders are deploying a number of initiatives.

Applying process and operating-model interventions

Addressing the underlying drivers of burnout could help to prevent it in the first place. Research from the McKinsey Health Institute shows that the day-to-day work environment has a substantial impact on the mental health and well-being of employees. 13 “ Addressing employee burnout: Are you solving the right problem? ,” McKinsey Health Institute, May 27, 2022. Process and operating-model shifts—in the context of ongoing broader shifts in care models—could enable organizations and care teams to evolve working practices to better support job satisfaction and sustainability.

In our most recent collaborative research, almost a quarter of surveyed nurses believed their teams were not working efficiently; more than 40 percent reported that they had poor control over their workloads and that their day-to-day work was hectic and intense. 14 Based on data from Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: Mental Health and Wellness Survey 4. Evaluating and addressing structural aspects of the job that contribute to workload—for example, by identifying opportunities to delegate activities and enable nurses to use technology—could help support these themes. 15 Gretchen Berlin, Ani Bilazarian, Joyce Chang, and Stephanie Hammer, “ Reimagining the nursing workload: Finding time to close the workforce gap ,” McKinsey, May 26, 2023. However, providing these resources without also addressing the underlying structural drivers contributing to mental-health and well-being challenges is insufficient and can unintentionally appear to place the burden for solving problems on employees themselves. Both individual-level supports and collaborative efforts to drive structural change are required.

In addition to addressing workload challenges, employers could provide flexible work options—for example, in shift length, start time, shift commitments, and virtual activities 16 Erica Carbajal, “‘Resilience isn’t a pillar by itself’: CommonSpirit’s plan to support 44,000 nurses in 2023,” Becker’s Clinical Leadership, December 9, 2022. —to better enable employees to recharge from high levels of demands and to reduce conflicts with demands outside of work.

Finally, employers could take steps to reduce the administrative burden on nurses. More than a third of nursing respondents in our joint survey felt they spent excessive time working on electronic health records on breaks or after shifts, and 45 percent reported this activity adds frustration to their day. 17 Based on data from Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: Mental Health and Wellness Survey 4. Employers can look for opportunities to delegate some documentation to nursing scribes, reduce documentation requirements, or use AI to aid with documentation to help reduce this burden.

Increasing availability, awareness, and accessibility of evidence-based resources

When nurses experience symptoms of burnout or other mental-health and well-being challenges, evidence-based resources need to be available. In addition, employees need to know these resources are available, and they need to feel comfortable accessing them within the organization’s cultural context.

Investments in resources for mental health and well-being span the continuum—from mental healthcare for those experiencing clinical symptoms to well-being support tools and programs to promote healthy behaviors and mitigate sources of stress. On the higher-acuity end of the continuum, providing employees with free or subsidized access to professionally provided therapy or counseling services could help reduce the barriers employees face in getting the care they need. On the lower-acuity end, providing access to resources and training on mental-health literacy, self-monitoring, and adaptability skills could help nurses identify and mitigate sources of stress.

Investments in awareness and accessibility are important to ensure available resources are used. Roughly 19 percent of surveyed nurses who indicated they had not sought mental-health support in the past 12 months cited lack of knowledge, lack of resources, fear of losing their job, or concern about colleagues finding out as reasons for not seeking support. 18 Based on data from Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: Mental Health and Wellness Survey 4. To reinforce their support, employers can take steps such as establishing support networks for communities and allies, providing forums to share stories of mental health, and introducing avenues for peer-to-peer support. Additionally, resources such as a behavioral-health concierge can help all employees (including nurses) navigate, find, and access care and support.

Resources available through the Foundation

The American Nurses Foundation (the Foundation) and the American Nurses Association (ANA) provide numerous free support resources, including the following:

Well-Being Initiative. The Foundation launched the Well-Being Initiative to offer resources that focus on caring for nurses as they tirelessly care for others. 1 “Well-Being Initiative,” American Nurses Foundation, accessed October 20, 2023. These free, multimodal resources are accessible to all US nurses at any time and are completely anonymous.

Stress and Burnout Prevention Pilot Program. The Foundation launched the Stress and Burnout Prevention Pilot Program with support from the United Health Foundation to address nurse burnout and manage stress, among other goals. 2 “Stress & Burnout Prevention Program,” American Nurses Foundation, accessed October 20, 2023. The program uses the “Stress First Aid” model to facilitate discussions about stress and burnout and reduce stigma for nurses in need of support. The program goes beyond identification of burnout to intervention by helping nurses speak about stress and burnout using a common language, normalizing talking about and understanding support resources for them and their peers.

Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN). This ANA Enterprise program is designed to improve the nation’s health, “one nurse at a time.” 3 “Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation,” American Nurses Foundation, accessed October 20, 2023. HNHN supports nurses in six areas: physical activity, rest, nutrition, quality of life, safety, and mental health. An online platform offers nurses inspiration, friendly competition, content and resources, and connections with other nurses, employers, and organizations.

Nurse suicide prevention. Nurses are at higher risk of suicide than the general population. 4 Christopher R. Friese and Kathryn A. Lee, “Deaths by suicide among nurses: A rapid response call,” Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services , August 2021, Volume 59, Number 8. The multiple stressors they face in their profession may lead to emotional turmoil, moral distress or injury, and cognitive overload. ANA offers resources to educate nurses about suicide prevention and strategies to help them support themselves and one another. 5 “Nurse suicide prevention/resilience,” American Nurses Association, accessed October 20, 2023; “Suicide among nurses: What we don’t know might hurt us,” American Nurses Association, accessed October 20, 2023.

Accessibility of resources within the organization’s cultural context is also important, given that stigmatization of beliefs, behaviors, and policies can prevent people from feeling able to seek help when they need it. Because mental-illness stigma includes self-stigma, public stigma, and structural stigma, companies can take a holistic approach to root it out, 19 Erica Coe, Jenny Cordina, Kana Enomoto, and Nikhil Seshan, “ Overcoming stigma: Three strategies toward better mental health in the workplace ,” McKinsey Quarterly , July 23, 2021. including with education, leadership role modeling, and policies addressing discriminatory behaviors. 20 Allison Nordberg and Marla J. Weston, “Stigma: A barrier in supporting nurse well-being during the pandemic,” Nurse Leader , April 2022, Volume 20, Number 2. They can also provide information about free support resources, such as those provided by the American Nurses Foundation and the American Nurses Association (see sidebar “Resources available through the Foundation”).

Bolstering skills and capabilities

Efforts to address structural issues can be advanced by investing in training opportunities to help individuals and teams proactively support their own mental health and that of their colleagues. Training areas could include workplace mental-health intervention; critical skills for leaders and managers, such as conflict resolution and bystander intervention; and resilience and adaptability training to inculcate mindsets and behaviors across the organization that ultimately support employee mental health and well-being.

Toward a healthier future for nurses

Tackling these sustained challenges for mental health and well-being will be critical for addressing near-term workforce shortages and ensuring the health and well-being of the nursing profession in the long term. In our joint survey, many surveyed nurses indicated they chose the profession because they wanted to make a difference—by helping improve patients’ lives and care for patients in their most vulnerable moments. They value their colleagues and the care and trust of their teams. However, with less than half of surveyed nurses feeling satisfied with their jobs, they clearly need more in return to sustain them in the profession. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to tackling some of the sustained well-being challenges that face nurses, but now is the time to bring additional energy and commitment to tackle the multifaceted drivers of symptoms of burnout and to support the profession in improving sustainability and fulfillment for years to come.

Gretchen Berlin, RN , is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Washington, DC, office, where Faith Burns is an associate partner; Brad Herbig is an associate partner in the Philadelphia office; and Mhoire Murphy is a partner in the Boston office. Amy Hanley is a program manager at the American Nurses Foundation, and Kate Judge is the executive director of the American Nurses Foundation.

The authors wish to thank the nurses, physicians, and staff on the front lines who are caring for patients and communities. They also wish to thank Nitzy Bustamante, Stephanie Hammer, and Brooke Tobin for their contributions to this article.

Explore a career with us

Related articles.

Two female surgeons confer before seeing patients in the hospital

Nursing in 2023: How hospitals are confronting shortages

Doctor and nurse with patients in hospital

Nurses are still under pressure—here’s what healthcare organizations can do about it

Reimagining the nursing workload: finding time to close the workforce gap.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it's official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Publications
  • Account settings
  • Browse Titles

NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Hughes RG, editor. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2008 Apr.

Cover of Patient Safety and Quality

Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses.

Chapter 26 work stress and burnout among nurses: role of the work environment and working conditions.

Bonnie M. Jennings .

Affiliations

Stress has been categorized as an antecedent or stimulus, as a consequence or response, and as an interaction. It has been studied from many different frameworks (or perspectives?). For example, Selye 1 proposed a physiological assessment that supports considering the association between stress and illness. Conversely, Lazarus 2 (p. 19) advocated a psychological view in which stress is “a particular relationship between the person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding his or her resources and endangering his or her well-being.”

Stress is not inherently deleterious, however. Each individual’s cognitive appraisal, their perceptions and interpretations, gives meaning to events and determines whether events are viewed as threatening or positive. 2 Personality traits also influence the stress equation because what may be overtaxing to one person may be exhilarating to another. 3

Nevertheless, stress has been regarded as an occupational hazard since the mid-1950s. 4 In fact, occupational stress has been cited as a significant health problem. 5–7 Work stress in nursing was first assessed in 1960 when Menzies 8 identified four sources of anxiety among nurses: patient care, decisionmaking, taking responsibility, and change. The nurse’s role has long been regarded as stress-filled based upon the physical labor, human suffering, work hours, staffing, and interpersonal relationships that are central to the work nurses do. Since the mid-1980s, however, nurses’ work stress may be escalating due to the increasing use of technology, continuing rises in health care costs, 9 and turbulence within the work environment. 10

In 1974, Freudenberger 11 coined the term “burnout” to describe workers’ reactions to the chronic stress common in occupations involving numerous direct interactions with people. Burnout is typically conceptualized as a syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. 12 Work life, however, is not independent from family life; these domains may even be in conflict. 13 , 14 Stress may result from the combined responsibilities of work, marriage, and children. 15–17 The effects of both work and nonwork stress among nurses have been studied infrequently. 18 And yet, nonwork stress may be particularly salient to nursing, a predominantly female profession. Women continue to juggle multiple roles, including those roles related to the home and family, for which the women may have sole or major responsibility.

Nevertheless, work stress and burnout remain significant concerns in nursing, affecting both individuals and organizations. For the individual nurse, regardless of whether stress is perceived positively or negatively, the neuroendocrine response yields physiologic reactions that may ultimately contribute to illness. 1 In the health care organization, work stress may contribute to absenteeism and turnover, both of which detract from the quality of care. 9 Hospitals in particular are facing a workforce crisis. The demand for acute care services is increasing concurrently with changing career expectations among potential health care workers and growing dissatisfaction among existing hospital staff. 19 By turning toxic work environments into healthy workplaces, researchers and nurse leaders believe that improvements can be realized in recruitment and retention of nurses, job satisfaction for all health care staff, and patient outcomes—particularly those related patient safety. 20

  • Research Evidence

Work stress continues to interest researchers, as illustrated by studies identified in this review that focused on occupations other than health care. For example, in a 3-year study of 14,337 middle-aged men, there was no strong evidence that job demands or job strain were predictors of coronary heart disease (CHD). 21 Findings did verify, however, that a supportive work environment helped reduce CHD. The importance of work support was corroborated in a study of 1,786 lower-ranking enlisted Army soldiers where support helped decrease psychological strain from job demands. 22 A study of 472 Air Force personnel illustrated high levels of work stress in 26 percent of the respondents, with 15 percent claiming work-related emotional distress and 8 percent noting work stress negatively affected their emotional health. 23 Finally, in a sample of 25,559 male and female German workers, the combined effects of exposure to work stress and downsizing contributed to more symptoms than either experience alone. 24

Stress in the Health Care Professions

Numerous recent studies have explored work stress among health care personnel in many countries. Investigators have assessed work stress among medical technicians, 25 radiation therapists, 26 social workers, 27 occupational therapists, 28 physicians, 29–33 and collections of health care staff across disciplines. 34–38 Most of the studies focused on nurses, but the studies were not always clear regarding which types of nursing personnel participated. Registered nurses (RNs) were the dominant focus. 39–83 Other investigations considered licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and nursing aides; 84–86 licensed nurses (e.g., RNs and LPNs); 87–90 RNs, aides, and clerical staff; 91 and generic assessments of nursing staff. 92–104

Only four of these investigations considered the effect of stress and burnout among nurses on patient outcomes. 40 , 56 , 90 , 99 These studies examined burnout in relation to increased mortality, failure to rescue, 40 , 56 and patient dissatisfaction. 90 , 99 Similarly, in an investigation of the relationship between personal stress and clinical care, 225 physicians reported 76 incidents in which they believed patient care was adversely affected by their stress. 30

Most of the investigations explored the effects of work stress and burnout on health care personnel in acute care settings. Staff working in long-term care (LTC) 102 and nursing homes 84 , 85 , 100 were the focus of four studies, however. Interestingly, two reports from nursing homes found that staff experienced more stress when caring for patients with dementia. 84 , 100 In addition, possible differences among types of nursing personnel were illustrated in a study of rural nursing homes where aides reported more job strain than RNs. 100

Findings are also emerging about differences in work stress based on shift length and generational cohort. Generational differences were explored in a single-site report of 413 RNs, in which baby boomers (43 percent) and Generation Xers (41 percent) had different perceptions of work stress. 78 The investigators expanded their work to four hospitals in the Midwest (N = 694 RNs). 77 Baby boomers comprised 53 percent of the sample; their scores for stress and strain variables were significantly worse than nurses in the older and younger cohorts. The baby boomers also had significantly less social support.

Shift length, 8-hour versus 12-hour, was explored in relation to both burnout 95 and role stress. 60 In a random sample of Michigan nurses, RNs working 12-hour shifts (n = 105) reported significantly higher levels of stress than RNs working 8-hour shifts (n = 99). 60 However, when differences in experience were controlled, stress was similar in both groups. Conversely, a study from Poland illustrated that nurses working 12-hour shifts (n = 96) compared unfavorably in several aspects to nurses working 8-hour shifts (n = 30). 95 Although the type of nursing personnel involved was unclear, the nurses on 12-hour shifts experienced significantly more chronic fatigue, cognitive anxiety, and emotional exhaustion.

Gender and Family Obligations

The complexity of work stress is further illustrated in two studies that considered gender effects. The prevalence of burnout was studied in a convenience sample of hospital-based neonatologists (n = 86) and office-based pediatricians (n = 97). 32 Although the prevalence of burnout was comparable between the specialty groups, burnout was found more frequently in female physicians (79 percent) than male physicians (62 percent). In a study of female physicians, 51 working full-time and 47 working reduced hours, burnout was not related to number of hours worked per se. 29 Rather, burnout was lower if female physicians worked the number of hours they preferred ( r = −0.22, P = 0.03). These studies may have particular relevance for nursing because the profession is predominately female.

Findings from studies that explored family-work conflict in relation to stress, burnout, and well-being indicated the importance of considering both work and family spheres. 25 , 29 , 38 , 44 , 45 , 86 , 94 An investigation conducted using a diverse sample of 342 nonprofessional employees (17 percent worked in health care; 70 percent were women) found family-work conflict was a predictor of well-being. 86 A study of a diverse group of health care personnel compared 64 cases with 64 controls. 38 Although the subjects in the case group were more likely to experience more objective stressful situations in and out of work, for both the case group and the control group, both work and nonwork stress contributed to anxiety and depressive disorders.

Work interfering with family had a direct relationship with work exhaustion in a 4-year study of medical technologists, 80 percent of whom were female. 25 Family interfering with work, however, was not studied. A study of 101 female nurses found that work interfered with family more than family interfered with work. 94 The investigators noted, however, that most of the nurses, who were in their mid-40s, were between the demands of child care and elder care. This finding is consistent with findings from a study of 170 Australian nurses: the principal determinant of stress was workload; nurses were unlikely to bring personal stress to work. 45 Conversely, there was no difference between female physicians working full-time or reduced hours in regard to work interfering with family or family interfering with work. 29 In addition, a study of family-work conflict identified personality as an important factor in whether individuals perceive situations as stressful. 44

Personal Characteristics and Work Relationships

Personality was explored as an important variable in the burnout/work stress equation in a number of investigations. 26 , 37 , 41 , 49 , 50 , 81 , 82 , 92 Together, these studies support findings that perceptions of job stress and burnout are not just a product of work conditions because not all workers, exposed to the same conditions, develop burnout or perceive stress. However, the specific features of personality that affect the perception of stress or burnout remain unclear.

Neuroticism has been associated with exhaustion. 41 , 92 External locus of control has demonstrated a positive relationship with burnout 92 and stress. 26 Findings are mixed for hardiness. 37 , 50 , 81 Evaluations of anxiety reflect a link with stress and burnout. 49 , 82 Anxiety is viewed as having two components—state anxiety, the temporary component which manifests when an individual perceives threatening demands or dangers, and trait anxiety, the more stable component which may be regarded as a personality characteristic. 105 In a study of intensive care unit nurses, the investigators concluded that individuals high on state-anxiety were not only at risk for burnout, but also for making medical errors. 82 In another study, higher trait-anxiety predicted psychological distress. 49 In addition, relationships with other staff—coworkers, physicians, head nurses, other departments—were also predictors of psychological distress.

Investigators have also examined the association between interpersonal relationships and burnout and stress. The exact linkages are not yet understood. Problematic relationships among team members were shown to increase burnout. 93 Verbal abuse from physicians was noted to be stressful for staff nurses. 71 In a study of 260 RNs, conflict with physicians was found to be more psychologically damaging than conflict within the nursing profession. 59 However, a study exploring verbal abuse among 213 nursing personnel (95 percent RNs) found the most frequent source of abuse was other nurses (27 percent). 88 Families were the second most frequent source of abuse (25 percent), while physicians ranked third (22 percent).

Management Styles

Relationships between staff nurses and nurse managers are particularly important when examining stress and burnout. 49 , 53 , 65 , 70 , 89 Numeric ratings from a survey of 1,780 RNs indicated that supervisor support and quality of supervision were lowest for nurse managers. 53 Handwritten comments from 509 (28.6 percent) of the RNs clarified these ratings by noting the following problems: (a) inadequate unit leadership and the frequent turnover of nurse mangers, (b) insufficient physical presence of the supervisor on the unit, (c) failure to address problems—too much sweeping them aside or not even being aware they exist, and (d) modest awareness of numerous staffing issues.

These ideas were corroborated in a study of 537 RNs from Canada. 65 Using structural equation modeling, the investigators substantiated the importance of manager behavior on employee experiences. Similarly, in a qualitative study of 50 nurses conducted in England, managers were identified as a direct cause of stress. 89 Finally, responses from 611 RNs on 50 inpatient nursing units in four southeastern U.S. hospitals showed that group cohesion was higher and job stress lower when nurse managers used a more participative management style. 70

In addition to illustrating a likely connection between nurse managers and staff nurse stressors, these studies also reflected the demanding role of today’s nurse managers who are often responsible for multiple patient care areas. However, only two studies were identified between 1995 and 2005 in which burnout was assessed in nurse managers and nurse administrators. One study was conducted in the United States 69 and the other study in Canada. 66 Investigators for the Canadian study examined burnout in a random sample of nurses in first-line (n = 202) and middle-management (n = 84) positions. 66 Nurses in both groups reported high levels of emotional exhaustion and average job satisfaction. In the U.S. study, the investigators explored burnout among nurses (N = 78) from rural and urban hospitals in a southeastern State who held positions in middle-management and higher. 69 Almost half the respondents (49%) reported high levels of emotional exhaustion.

Lessening Stress

Various studies were designed to evaluate ways to mitigate stress. Studies of social support and empowerment dominated these investigations. Although social support is a multifaceted construct, definitions and types of support were not typically found in these more recent investigations. However, the importance of coworker support was verified in one study. 39 In another study, a general construct labeled “organizational support” exhibited the expected negative relationship with work exhaustion. 25 Similarly, social support from supervisors or colleagues demonstrated a negative association with work stress. 31 , 72 , 96 Stated differently, based on another study, as nurses felt more stress, they relied more on social support. 87 A cluster analysis demonstrated that high social support was found only in the cluster with low burnout and low stress. 59 No buffering effects were discerned in the studies, but there was a direct and beneficial effect of social support on workers’ psychological well-being and organizational productivity. 36 Although these findings do not clarify the mechanism for social support, they do indicate that coworkers and supervisors at all levels would be wise to consider the importance of reciprocal interpersonal exchanges that enhance security, mutual respect, and positive feelings.

All but two studies 80 , 96 of nurses and workplace empowerment were conducted by teams involving Laschinger. 57 , 62 , 64–68 Work empowerment showed a strong, negative association with job tension and a strong positive relationship with perceived work effectiveness. 62 , 65 Similarly, in other reports, structural empowerment in the workplace (e.g., opportunity, information, support, resources, power) contributed to improved psychological empowerment (e.g., meaning, confidence, autonomy, impact). 64 , 67 , 68 Psychological empowerment, in turn, had a strong positive effect on job satisfaction and a strong negative influence on job strain. Likewise, as perceptions of empowerment increased, staff nurses reported less emotional exhaustion and depersonalization along with a greater sense of personal accomplishment—the three components of burnout. 57 Empowerment was negatively associated with work stressors in another study as well. 96

Because empowerment is often viewed as a characteristic of how work environments are structured, it has strong implications for nurse managers’ behaviors. However, one study revealed an interpretive side to empowerment that derives from nurses’ perceptions of their personal effectiveness and success. 80 Additionally, there is beginning evidence that nurse managers experience empowerment in a way that mirrors staff nurse experiences. That is, nurse manager perceptions of structural empowerment influenced their sense of psychological empowerment, which, in turn, affected the extent to which they experienced burnout. 66

  • Evidence-Based Practice Implications

Based on current empirical evidence on stress and burnout in nursing, there is difficulty in making recommendations regarding how to enhance patient safety. Although findings consistently indicated that nurse burnout was negatively related to job satisfaction, only two studies explored the relationship between nurse burnout and patient satisfaction. 90 , 99

Additionally, findings are inconsistent for two studies that examined the relationship between nurse burnout, 30-day mortality, and failure to rescue for surgical patients. 40 , 56 Data for one of these studies were collected from nurses and patients throughout Pennsylvania. 40 Data for the other study were collected from nurses and patients at a single site. 56 Some of the differences can be accounted for by numerous methodological variations between the two studies. Other differences might be attributed to the strong collective bargaining unit at the single-site study that had negotiated staffing based on nurse-patient ratios that were adjusted for patient acuity. 56 Moreover, fewer nurses from the single-site study reported being either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their jobs, compared with the Pennsylvania study (8 percent versus 25 percent, respectively).

Practice implications are also unclear regarding the effects of work stress on nursing staff. The lack of clarity derives, in part, from the complexities of the work stress concept. In one study, for example, nurses were grouped into one of four clusters based on their level of stress, affective and physical symptoms, burnout, and unit social support. 59 In another, the nurse ratings of job strain placed them in four groups ranging from high to low strain. 68 This heterogeneity suggests that many dynamics are operational in relation to stress and burnout. The effects of shift length on stress is one of the dynamics that is not yet understood. 60 , 95 Likewise, evidence about how verbal abuse 88 and generational differences 77 operate in the stress equation is just beginning to emerge. The role of personality, family-work conflict, and other features of stress require further study.

Evidence is accruing about the utility of empowerment and social support in mitigating stress. Some caution is warranted in regard to empowerment, however, because the work of one investigator dominates the field. 57 , 62 , 64–68 Findings related to social support indicated that interpersonal exchanges with coworkers and supervisors may enhance security, mutual respect, and positive feelings—which helped to reduce stress. 31 , 39 , 72 , 96 Overall, however, the assessments of social support were often founded on weak conceptualization and relied upon psychometrically weak instruments to measure the concept. Moreover, the analytical models did not always consider the direct, indirect, and interactive effects of social support.

Although the evidence is sparse, the studies have practice implications for nurse managers. First, managerial behaviors were linked to stress and burnout. Managerial support 38 and participative management 70 helped to reduce stress. Similarly, burnout and work stress were reduced when administrators created work environments that provided staff with access to opportunity, information, resources, and support—the features of empowerment. 64 , 65 Second, and studied even more infrequently, nurses in supervisory positions may encounter stress 69 and burnout 66 themselves. There is no existing evidence, however, that empirically illustrates how managerial stress affects staff stress or the manager’s ability to behave in a way that reduces staff stress. Given the current emphasis on improving the work environment, there is an imperative to carefully investigate both aspects of the nurse administrator in relation to stress and burnout.

Despite lacking absolute clarity, there is a body of research addressing work stress that spans more than 50 years in the nursing profession. Stress is pervasive in nursing and health care. Moreover, working conditions seem to be deteriorating at the same time that a severe and protracted nursing shortage is occurring. Leaders of health care organizations can no longer ignore these findings. Just as institutional leaders need to understand their financial standing, they also need to assess how environmental stress is affecting patients and staff and take action to alter unhealthy situations.

  • Research Implications

To derive a better understanding of stress and burnout in the workplace, solid conceptualizations are needed that bring together the various pieces of the stress puzzle. At present, research is often conducted absent a solid theoretical and conceptual base. A more comprehensive blueprint of nurse stress and burnout in the work place needs to be developed. Empirical studies could then be conducted to investigate these very complex relationships, prospectively, over time. Once work stress is examined from a more solid theoretical and conceptual basis, then intervention studies can be initiated to assess the most useful ways to mitigate work stress.

Studies need to move beyond the tendency to use descriptive designs. There is sufficient evidence to believe that work stress is a factor among health care personnel. What is less well understood is the effect of stress on patient outcomes. Studies are needed to enhance the understanding of stress and burnout on patient safety. Studies are also needed to better understand stress beyond the acute care setting.

In addition, because nurse administrators are responsible for creating the environment in which nursing is practiced and patient care is given, 106 it is important to explore interventions that will reduce the stress and burnout experienced by nurse administrators. Findings from studies of this nature could have a threefold effect. By reducing the stressful nature of the nurse administrator’s work, nurse administrators could be more satisfied in their positions. This role satisfaction, in turn, could lead to enhancing those managerial behaviors that improve the work environment for staff nurses. Finally, improved working conditions for nurse administrators might make the role more appealing and help correct the serious dearth of individuals interested in pursuing administrative positions. 107

Stress and burnout are concepts that have sustained the interest of nurses and researchers for several decades. These concepts are highly relevant to the workforce in general and nursing in particular. Despite this interest and relevance, the effects of stress and burnout on patient outcomes, patient safety, and quality care are not well defined by evidence. In fact, the link between stress and burnout to patient outcomes has been explored in only four investigations. There is a great need for comprehensive studies that will examine these dynamics in a way that will yield more solid evidence on which to base practice.

  • Search Strategy

Both MEDLINE ® and CINAHL ® databases were searched to locate literature for this review. A reference librarian conducted the searches after working with the author to specify search terms. The search terms for MEDLINE ® were psychological stress, professional burnout, work stress, and occupational health. The search terms for CINAHL ® were occupational stress, professional burnout, and nursing units. For both databases, the searches were limited to research articles published in the English language between 1995 and 2005.

There were 1,145 articles identified in the CINAHL ® search and 392 identified by the MEDLINE ® search, with some duplication in the citations identified by the two databases. All 1,537 abstracts were reviewed. Numerous abstracts were eliminated from further consideration. For example, articles about instrument development, stress in specific populations (e.g., children, adolescents, pregnant women, parents, caregivers) and occupations other than health care (e.g., the police force, fishermen, flight crews, farm workers) were omitted from this review. Likewise, dissertations, literature reviews, concept analyses, and physiologic and immunologic studies of stress in general were not included.

Once the unrelated articles were eliminated, 138 articles remained as candidates for this review. A complete copy of each of these papers was acquired and read, following which an additional 53 articles were removed from further consideration. Dominant among the reasons for excluding these papers were that they were not research based or they were short reports that were lacking essential details.

Evidence Table

Evidence Table

  • Acknowledgments

Tremendous gratitude is expressed to the staff of the Armed Forces Medical Library for their considerable support of this work. They conducted the database searches and assisted in acquiring numerous papers considered in this review.

  • Cite this Page Jennings BM. Work Stress and Burnout Among Nurses: Role of the Work Environment and Working Conditions. In: Hughes RG, editor. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2008 Apr. Chapter 26.
  • PDF version of this page (172K)

In this Page

Other titles in this collection.

  • Advances in Patient Safety

Related information

  • PMC PubMed Central citations
  • PubMed Links to PubMed

Similar articles in PubMed

  • Impacts of unit-level nurse practice environment and burnout on nurse-reported outcomes: a multilevel modelling approach. [J Clin Nurs. 2010] Impacts of unit-level nurse practice environment and burnout on nurse-reported outcomes: a multilevel modelling approach. Van Bogaert P, Clarke S, Roelant E, Meulemans H, Van de Heyning P. J Clin Nurs. 2010 Jun; 19(11-12):1664-74.
  • Nursing unit teams matter: Impact of unit-level nurse practice environment, nurse work characteristics, and burnout on nurse reported job outcomes, and quality of care, and patient adverse events--a cross-sectional survey. [Int J Nurs Stud. 2014] Nursing unit teams matter: Impact of unit-level nurse practice environment, nurse work characteristics, and burnout on nurse reported job outcomes, and quality of care, and patient adverse events--a cross-sectional survey. Van Bogaert P, Timmermans O, Weeks SM, van Heusden D, Wouters K, Franck E. Int J Nurs Stud. 2014 Aug; 51(8):1123-34. Epub 2013 Dec 30.
  • Work environment, job satisfaction, stress and burnout among haemodialysis nurses. [J Nurs Manag. 2015] Work environment, job satisfaction, stress and burnout among haemodialysis nurses. Hayes B, Douglas C, Bonner A. J Nurs Manag. 2015 Jul; 23(5):588-98. Epub 2013 Dec 30.
  • Review Does vicarious traumatisation affect oncology nurses? A literature review. [Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2007] Review Does vicarious traumatisation affect oncology nurses? A literature review. Sinclair HA, Hamill C. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2007 Sep; 11(4):348-56. Epub 2007 May 7.
  • Review Occupational Stress Management and Burnout Interventions in Nursing and Their Implications for Healthy Work Environments: A Literature Review. [Workplace Health Saf. 2015] Review Occupational Stress Management and Burnout Interventions in Nursing and Their Implications for Healthy Work Environments: A Literature Review. Nowrouzi B, Lightfoot N, Larivière M, Carter L, Rukholm E, Schinke R, Belanger-Gardner D. Workplace Health Saf. 2015 Jul; 63(7):308-15. Epub 2015 Jun 17.

Recent Activity

  • Work Stress and Burnout Among Nurses: Role of the Work Environment and Working C... Work Stress and Burnout Among Nurses: Role of the Work Environment and Working Conditions - Patient Safety and Quality

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

Connect with NLM

National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20894

Web Policies FOIA HHS Vulnerability Disclosure

Help Accessibility Careers

statistics

What Is Nurse Burnout?

portrait of NurseJournal Staff

NurseJournal Staff

Contributing Writer

Learn about our editorial process .

Updated November 10, 2023 · 3 Min Read

Reviewed by

Elizabeth Clarke

Contributing Reviewer

Our Integrity Network

NurseJournal.org is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers.

Drawing on their firsthand industry expertise, our Integrity Network members serve as an additional step in our editing process, helping us confirm our content is accurate and up to date. These contributors:

  • Suggest changes to inaccurate or misleading information.
  • Provide specific, corrective feedback.
  • Identify critical information that writers may have missed.

Integrity Network members typically work full time in their industry profession and review content for NurseJournal.org as a side project. All Integrity Network members are paid members of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.

Explore our full list of Integrity Network members.

Latina nurse with eyes closed sitting on floor

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Nurses regularly help people recover from illnesses and injuries and witness the real and tangible impact they have on patients' lives. While nursing is a fulfilling profession for many, the work has another side to it as well.

Nurses find themselves exposed to intense pain, physical and mental struggles, and death on a daily basis. These more stressful components of the job can get to even the most emotionally stable nurses.

When the stress of the job causes physical, mental, and emotional fatigue, this phenomenon is called nurse burnout. The majority of nursing professionals experience nurse burnout at some point in their careers. In fact, a 2017 Kronos study found that 63% — that's nearly two-thirds — of nurses in hospitals reported experiencing burnout.

Burnout can make you feel helpless. If you find out what causes your burnout and know how to manage and ultimately prevent nurse burnout, you can still have a successful nursing career.

Nurse Burnout vs. Compassion Fatigue

Although nurse burnout and compassion fatigue share some similarities, they are fundamentally different phenomena.

Nurse burnout involves the emotional and physical exhaustion that comes with the stressful responsibilities required for nursing. In comparison, compassion fatigue results when prolonged emotional strain culminates in detachment and difficulties in providing empathetic care.

Compassion fatigue comes from working with victims of trauma, although this is not necessarily the case for nurse burnout. Compassion fatigue can also appear more quickly than nurse burnout and can even cause anger or existential despair.

The two conditions do lead to some of the same consequences, including emotional and mental exhaustion, self-isolation, and a lack of feeling fulfilled or accomplished in professional settings.

Causes and Effects of Nurse Burnout

Burnout can occur in anyone's career. If somebody experiences considerable long-term stress, they can find themselves in a state of mental and physical exhaustion.

For nurses, burnout is the result of a high-stakes, demanding job that frequently exposes them to human suffering. Nurses see death and grieving families every day and work with patients who are in physical and/or mental pain. Additionally, nurses work long shifts — often 12 or more hours within one day. All of those factors can lead to intense burnout on their own. Circumstances such as not having effective support or leadership within the workplace can excarterbate burnout even more.

In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes nurse burnout as an "occupational phenomenon." The WHO defines nurse burnout as "resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed."

Nurse burnout can cause irritability and checked-out behaviors, meaning nurses go through the motions of the job without really engaging . Not only can nurse burnout affect the nurses themselves, it can lead to less effective treatment for patients. Nurses might find themselves becoming forgetful or making mistakes due to their exhaustion, which can lead to discomfort or even harmful outcomes for patients.

Popular Nursing Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Nationwide Nurse Shortage and Burnout

Another factor contributing to nurse burnout is the nationwide nursing shortage in the U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the number of registered nurses could increase from 3 million in 2019 to 3.3 million a decade later. That's an increase of about 7.2%.

Even though that growth rate suprasses the national average, many studies still predict that the demand for nurses will outpace the supply. That's in large part because of the aging population of the baby boomer generation, who need more medical attention as they grow older. In addition, many nurses themselves will become older and retire.

Nurses must increasingly take on larger workloads in order to make up for nurse shortages within the workplace. As many experts note , this greater workload can lead to prolonged stress and ultimately burnout. In fact, in a study in the February 2014 issue of the journal Lancet , researchers discovered that an increased workload for nurses could increase a patient's chances of dying by 7% within a month of their hospital admission date.

One of the four major reasons nurses are taking on larger workloads are budget cuts of ancillary roles such as CNAs, housekeeping, and dietary. RNs are required to expand their roles to not only patient care , but to keeping the rooms clean, delivering meals, and other responsibilities, which results in higher burnout and stress and more room for mistakes made.

Areas with High Levels of Nurse Burnout

Nurses often see greater burnout in particularly intense or high-stakes healthcare departments, according to a 2013 study from the College of Dupage .

The study found that nurses endure higher levels of burnout and compassion fatigue in oncology units. They often work with patients who are dying without any chance of recovery and must communicate with anxious and grieving families.

According to the study, nurses who work in emergency rooms also experience more severe burnout. On average, emergency room (ER) nurses see 50 patients during their shifts — over 12 times more than nurses on a normal medical-surgical floor, who see an average of four patients.

The study suggests that oncology or ER nurses who feel that burnout or compassion fatigue can affect the quality of their job should request to move to a different department.

Managing Nurse Burnout

There are resources available for nurses experiencing burnout symptoms that can hinder their ability to effectively carry out job duties.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests several tips for nurses dealing with burnout: prioritize sleep, check in with your coworkers, and use relaxation or meditation apps. Experts also suggest self-care and self-reflection; that means eating a well-balanced diet, exercising, and reflecting on your feelings after particularly difficult days. Another way to combat nurse burnout involves drawing a clear line between your work and home lives. In other words, do not bring the stress of work back home.

If you want more in-depth information on how to manage nurse burnout, you can find several resources online. To start, you can read helpful advice from nursing experts on how to combat compassion fatigue and avoid nurse burnout .

NurseJournal.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Whether you’re looking to get your pre-licensure degree or taking the next step in your career, the education you need could be more affordable than you think. Find the right nursing program for you.

Popular Resources

Resources and articles written by professionals and other nurses like you.

How Do We Reduce Burnout In Nursing?

Affiliations.

  • 1 American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750 Washington, DC 20001, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2 Walden University, College of Nursing, 100 Washington Avenue South, Suite 1210, Minneapolis, MN 55401, USA.
  • PMID: 35236601
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.cnur.2021.11.007

Burnout syndrome has been defined as a state of chronic stress characterized by high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization with low levels of professional efficacy. The effects of nurse burnout include poor job satisfaction and turnover. Nurses' physical and mental well-being are both essential to sustaining a healthy nursing workforce with factors such as an empowering work environment showing positive effects on reducing burnout. Formal and informal individual and organizational approaches to supporting novice nurses' transition and experienced nurses' sustained practice fulfillment are key to addressing burnout and fostering retention.

Keywords: Compassion satisfaction; Gratitude; Mindfulness; Nurse burnout; Preceptors; Residencies.

Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Publication types

  • Burnout, Professional* / prevention & control
  • Burnout, Professional* / psychology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital* / psychology
  • Personnel Turnover
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

IMAGES

  1. Anxiety, stress and burnout in nursing Free Essay Example

    nursing burnout essay

  2. ≫ Burnout in Nursing Profession: Causes, Sign and Prevention Free Essay

    nursing burnout essay

  3. 📌 Stress and Burnout in Nursing Essay Example

    nursing burnout essay

  4. Narrative Essay: Nursing burnout essay

    nursing burnout essay

  5. Nurse Burnout: Argumentative Topics Nursing and Free Essay Example

    nursing burnout essay

  6. The Problem of Nursing Burnout

    nursing burnout essay

COMMENTS

  1. Understanding and addressing nurse burnout

    1 Our results indicate that mental health and well-being vary by nurse experience levels (Exhibit 2). Less-tenured nurse respondents were more likely to report less satisfaction with their role, had a higher likelihood of leaving their role, and were more likely to be experiencing burnout. 2

  2. Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Nurse Burnout in the US

    Our findings show that among nurses who reported leaving their job owning to burnout, a high proportion reported a stressful work environment. Substantial evidence documents that aspects of the work environment are associated with nurse burnout.

  3. Work Stress and Burnout Among Nurses: Role of the Work

    For the individual nurse, regardless of whether stress is perceived positively or negatively, the neuroendocrine response yields physiologic reactions that may ultimately contribute to illness. 1 In the health care organization, work stress may contribute to absenteeism and turnover, both of which detract from the quality of care. 9 Hospitals in...

  4. What Is Nurse Burnout?

    Nurse burnout involves the emotional and physical exhaustion that comes with the stressful responsibilities required for nursing. In comparison, compassion fatigue results when prolonged emotional strain culminates in detachment and difficulties in providing empathetic care.

  5. How Do We Reduce Burnout In Nursing?

    The effects of nurse burnout include poor job satisfaction and turnover. Nurses' physical and mental well-being are both essential to sustaining a healthy nursing workforce with factors such as an empowering work environment showing positive effects on reducing burnout. Formal and informal individual and organizational approaches to supporting ...