What The Term 'Nurse Burnout' Misses

By Paige Twenter

There's an issue with the term "nurse burnout," according to Jane Dus, DNP, 

RN, senior vice president and chief nursing officer of Advocate Health's Midwest region.

Occupational burnout has long existed in the healthcare industry, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of nurses pointed to burnout as a reason for leaving the profession.

Chronic workplace stress has also been linked to poor outcomes. In a meta-analysis of 85 studies including 288,581 nurses, researchers found an association between occupational burnout and lower patient safety grades, patient satisfaction scores and nurse-assessed quality of care; plus more nosocomial infections, patient falls, medication errors and adverse events.

One burnout study of 7,419 nurses, which McKinsey & Co. published in November 2023, found 56% reported burnout symptoms, such as emotional exhaustion. The findings showed improvement in nurse turnover but symptoms of burnout and mental health challenges have remained high since 2021.

Nurse burnout is a real problem, said Dr. Dus, but it can be misunderstood.

"I just think it gives this impression that our nurses are walking around with their heads hung down," she said. "Frontline nursing is very hard. I think, with our societal changes, it is more challenging; I think there's less tolerance and maybe more incivility. So I do think it's hard, but I also think that I don't want to broad brush and say every nurse is burnt out when I know that's not the case."

Advocate focuses on nurse wellness and resilience through offerings like free employee assistance and free mental health apps, Dr. Dus said.

"I'm not at all saying it's not an issue," she said, "I do come across nurses that express concern, and I talk with them, but I also see some very highly engaged, very dedicated nurses who are really committed out there."