CDC Study Finds Nurse Burnout Still on the Rise

Nearly two-thirds of nurses (65%) now report high levels of stress and burnout, a figure that paints a grim picture of the profession in 2025. Compounding this, only 60% of these vital healthcare professionals would choose nursing again if given the choice, a stark indicator of deep-seated disillusionment within the ranks. This erosion of career loyalty suggests a challenge that may be more difficult to reverse than acute stress alone, signaling that for many, the fundamental rewards of the profession may no longer outweigh the sacrifices demanded. These alarming statistics, primarily from the “Beyond the Bedside: The State of Nursing in 2025” survey by Cross Country Healthcare and Florida Atlantic University (FAU), are not appearing in a vacuum. They represent a dangerous escalation of a long-simmering crisis, profoundly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing, unaddressed systemic pressures within the healthcare system.

The implications of rising nurse burnout extend far beyond the well-being of individual nurses; they are intrinsically linked to the quality and safety of patient care, the operational stability of healthcare organizations, and the very future of the nursing workforce. A striking paradox emerges from the 2025 data: while 67% of student nurses express concern about managing their future workload, an overwhelming 82% report excitement about their careers in nursing. This optimism among entrants, juxtaposed with the distress signals from the experienced workforce, creates a precarious situation. If the systemic dysfunctions fueling burnout are not rectified, this initial enthusiasm is likely to be quickly extinguished upon encountering the harsh realities of current nursing work environments, potentially leading to early-career attrition and perpetuating a devastating cycle.

This article will delve into the latest data on nurse burnout, placing it in the context of recent trend reports, including those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It will analyze the multifaceted drivers behind this persistent surge, quantify its profound consequences on patients and systems, and identify the demographic and practice settings most acutely affected. Crucially, this report aims to illuminate evidence-based solutions to nurse burnout—spanning individual coping strategies, unit-level interventions, organizational reforms, and broader policy changes. The goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding and actionable insights for bedside nurses, advanced-practice clinicians, healthcare leaders, and policymakers to collaboratively foster a healthier, more sustainable, and ultimately more rewarding nursing profession, ensuring that nurse well-being 2025 becomes a turning point, not a continued decline.

1. The Latest Burnout Data at a Glance: A Profession at Breaking Point

The most current comprehensive data, notably from the “Beyond the Bedside: The State of Nursing in 2025” report by Cross Country Healthcare and Florida Atlantic University (FAU), released in April 2025, offers a critical snapshot analogous to what new CDC findings for 2024-2025 would reveal, painting a sobering picture of a profession under immense strain. This survey, conducted in partnership with FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, gathered responses from 2,600 individuals across the nursing spectrum, including Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), and student nurses, providing a robust view of the current landscape.

The headline numbers from this 2025 survey are deeply concerning. A staggering 65% of nurses report experiencing high levels of stress and burnout. This is further compounded by the finding that only 60% state they would choose nursing again if given the choice, a significant drop that signals profound dissatisfaction. The top stressors identified by these nurses include persistent short staffing, inadequate pay, a perceived lack of leadership support, and the increasing prevalence of patient abuse. Even among student nurses, while 82% express excitement about their future in the profession, a notable 67% are already concerned about their ability to manage their future workload, indicating an early awareness of the challenges ahead.

These recent figures are best understood when contextualized with trends observed by the CDC in preceding years. The CDC’s Vital Signs report, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) on November 3, 2023, analyzed data from the General Social Survey Quality of Worklife Module for 2018 and 2022, focusing on the broader category of “health workers,” of which nurses constitute a significant portion. This CDC data revealed a clear pattern of escalating distress even before the 2025 nurse-specific findings.

The percentage of health workers reporting feeling burnout very often increased from 11.6% in 2018 to 19.0% in 2022. More broadly, 45.6% of health workers reported feeling burnout often or very often in 2022, a substantial jump from 32% in 2018. This consistent rise across multiple indicators suggests that the extreme stress and burnout are not merely acute, pandemic-driven spikes but are becoming dangerously entrenched as a “new normal” for the healthcare workforce. The 2025 nurse-specific figure of 65% reporting high stress and burnout indicates a continued, and likely worsening, trajectory from this already high baseline.

Further supporting this trend, health workers reported an average increase of 1.2 days of poor mental health in the previous 30 days, rising from 3.3 days in 2018 to 4.5 days in 2022. This tangible measure underscores a significant decline in overall well-being.

A particularly alarming trend is the surge in workplace harassment. The percentage of health workers reporting harassment at work more than doubled, from 6.4% in 2018 to 13.4% in 2022. This is not merely an issue of workload; it points to a deteriorating work environment and safety, likely intersecting with the “patient abuse” cited as a top stressor in the 2025 nursing survey. Given that the CDC data also shows harassment is associated with significantly increased odds of anxiety, depression, and burnout, this dramatic rise in reported incidents is a potent driver of the overall crisis.

Intent to leave the profession has also climbed. In 2018, 33% of health workers intended to look for a new job. By 2022, this figure rose, with 44.2% reporting they were somewhat or very likely to look for a new job, and the percentage “very likely” to seek new employment increasing from 11.1% to 16.5%. This aligns closely with the 2024 National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) study, which found that approximately 40% of nurses intend to leave their positions within the next five years. The gap between the high percentage intending to leave and the actual number who have departed, while still substantial (e.g., over 138,000 nurses left since 2022 per NCSBN), suggests a large cohort of “at-risk” nurses. These are experienced professionals who are disengaged and unhappy but have not yet made the final decision to leave, representing a critical, albeit perhaps narrowing, window for interventions aimed at retention.

The following table provides a visual summary of these worsening trends:

The confluence of these data points underscores a profession at a critical juncture. The multi-year, multi-indicator escalation implies that the underlying systemic issues are not being resolved and may be deteriorating, leading to a chronically stressed workforce rather than one recovering from temporary shocks. This situation demands immediate, comprehensive, and sustained interventions to avert a deeper crisis in nurse well-being 2025 and beyond.

2. Root Causes of the Surge: A Multifactorial Onslaught

The escalating crisis of nurse burnout is not attributable to a single factor but rather a complex interplay of chronic systemic issues and acute stressors that have converged to place an unsustainable burden on the nursing profession. Understanding these multifaceted drivers is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Staffing Shortages & Increasing Patient Acuity

Chronic understaffing remains a dominant theme and a primary stressor cited by nurses. The “Beyond the Bedside 2025” survey prominently lists “short staffing” as a top concern among nurses. Similarly, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) 2024 National Nursing Workforce Study identified understaffing as a key reason nurses are leaving their jobs. The direct impact of inadequate staffing on burnout is quantified by 2022 CDC data, which found that health workers who reported “not enough staff members” had 2.73 times higher odds of experiencing burnout compared to those who did not.

Compounding the issue of sheer numbers is the rising acuity of patients. Today’s hospitalized patients are often sicker and have more complex medical and psychosocial needs, demanding more intensive nursing care. Traditional nurse-to-patient ratios may not adequately capture this increased workload, meaning nurses can feel overwhelmed even if staffing numbers appear stable on paper. The American Nurses Association (ANA) highlights that cost-cutting measures by healthcare organizations, coupled with an aging general population requiring more complex care and an aging nursing workforce, all contribute to this persistent staffing crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly exacerbated workload issues, with 62% of nurses reporting an increase in their workload during that period, according to the 2022 NCSBN survey. While the NCSBN’s 2024 data suggests some moderation in workloads since 2022 (a reported 20-25% decrease), the baseline may remain unsustainably high for many. This interplay between insufficient staff numbers and higher patient care demands creates a fertile ground for burnout. This situation is a clear example of a vicious cycle: staffing shortages increase workload and stress, leading to burnout; burnout then drives more nurses to leave the profession or reduce their hours, which in turn worsens the staffing shortages. This self-perpetuating downward spiral becomes increasingly difficult to break without substantial, multi-faceted interventions that go beyond simply trying to hire more nurses into a broken system.

Administrative Load & Technology (EHR Burden)

Beyond direct patient care, nurses grapple with a substantial and often growing administrative load, with Electronic Health Records (EHRs) frequently cited as a major source of frustration and burnout. A 2023 survey by McKinsey and the American Nurses Foundation found that over half (56%) of nurses reported symptoms of burnout, with excessive time spent on administrative tasks identified as a key contributing factor. While precise figures for nurses vary, physicians are reported to spend approximately 21% of their workday on EHR data input alone, a burden that is likely comparable, if not greater, for nurses who manage extensive patient documentation. This significant time commitment to EHRs detracts from time available for direct patient interaction and often leads to nurses working beyond their scheduled hours to complete documentation.

The design and implementation of many EHR systems contribute to what is often termed “death by a thousand clicks”. Nurses report challenges with inconsistent user interfaces, high volumes of inbox messages and alerts (leading to alert fatigue), excessive data entry requirements, and a lack of interoperability between different systems, all of which decrease efficiency and increase frustration. While EHRs are intended to improve care coordination and safety, their current usability often creates additional work and cognitive load, becoming a significant daily stressor. This administrative burden is not merely a time-waster; it can contribute significantly to moral distress. When nurses are forced to spend a disproportionate amount of their time on documentation or navigating inefficient technology, they have less time for the direct, hands-on patient care that is central to their professional identity and ethical commitment. This can lead to feelings of providing compromised care or being unable to meet patients’ needs adequately, fueling a sense of professional inadequacy and moral conflict, which are known precursors to burnout.

Moral Distress & Workplace Violence

The concepts of moral distress and workplace violence represent profound psychological assaults on nurses, significantly contributing to the burnout epidemic. Moral injury (MI) is defined as the persistent psychological distress that occurs when clinicians witness or are involved in events that violate their deeply held moral beliefs, particularly when they feel constrained from providing the care they know is necessary or appropriate. This can happen due to systemic issues such as chronic understaffing, inadequate resources, or policies that conflict with patient well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its resource scarcities and overwhelming patient loads, significantly exacerbated experiences of moral injury among healthcare workers. The impact is severe, leading to increased burnout, psychological distress, poor well-being, and higher rates of staff absenteeism.

Workplace violence (WPV) against nurses has reached alarming levels. A 2024 study by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) found that an astounding 75.2% of surveyed nurses had experienced at least one form of WPV in the preceding 12 months, with 87.9% reporting such experiences at some point in their careers. Verbal abuse was the most common type, experienced by 72.7% of nurses in the past year, with patients being the most frequent perpetrators. This pervasive violence is a significant factor driving nurses from their jobs and the profession; the same Texas study revealed that 41.5% of nurses who experienced WPV felt like changing their workplace, and 23.1% considered an alternative career. The CDC’s 2022 data powerfully links harassment—a form of WPV—to a 5.83 times higher odds of reporting burnout. Nurses identify lack of respect for healthcare workers (72.7% ranking it “very impactful”), insufficient staffing (59.3%), and unrealistic patient expectations (57.9%) as key factors contributing to WPV.

The high prevalence of WPV and the significant rise in reported harassment suggest a disturbing trend: such abusive behaviors may be becoming normalized or are being inadequately addressed within healthcare environments. This “learned tolerance,” as described by the American Organization for Nurse Leadership, where organizations may avoid confronting these behaviors, allows harmful conditions to become ingrained, creating a chronically unsafe psychological and physical environment for nurses. This normalization means nurses are repeatedly exposed to trauma, profoundly increasing their stress, fear, and ultimately, their risk of burnout and departure from the profession.

Pandemic Aftershocks & Systemic Pressures

The COVID-19 pandemic acted as an accelerant, amplifying long-standing issues of burnout and stress within the nursing workforce. Health workers reported increased levels of fatigue, loss, and grief directly attributable to the pandemic’s overwhelming demands. The NCSBN estimated that an additional 100,000 nurses left the workforce due to the increased pressures from COVID-19 alone, over and above typical attrition rates.

However, it is crucial to recognize that many of the systemic pressures contributing to burnout predated the pandemic. Phil Dickison, CEO of NCSBN, has emphasized that while some support services were implemented during the pandemic, fundamental structural issues related to staffing, workload, and workplace safety remain largely unaddressed. The CDC’s 2022 Quality of Worklife Survey highlighted several negative working conditions significantly associated with higher odds of burnout among health workers. These included a lack of trust in management, insufficient supervisor help, inadequate time to complete work, a perception that the workplace did not support productivity, and a poor psychosocial safety climate.

The pandemic effectively stripped away any remaining resilience reserves and laid bare the deep cracks already present in the healthcare system. The subsequent failure to robustly address these pre-existing and now exacerbated systemic issues means that nurses continue to face compounded pressures, making recovery and a return to a sustainable work environment incredibly challenging.

3. Consequences for Care Quality & Costs: The Ripple Effect of Burnout

The rising tide of nurse burnout is not a contained crisis; its repercussions ripple outward, profoundly affecting nurse retention, the quality and safety of patient care, and the financial stability of healthcare organizations. These consequences create a compelling case for urgent and comprehensive interventions.

Link Burnout to Nurse Turnover

A direct and damaging consequence of widespread burnout is increased nurse turnover. Data from the NCSBN indicates that over 138,000 nurses have left the workforce since 2022 alone. Crucially, among nurses intending to leave their jobs (excluding those retiring), approximately 41.5% cite stress and burnout as the primary reason. This establishes a clear causal link between the experience of burnout and the decision to leave. Earlier research supports this; a 2018 study analyzing data from the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses found that 31.5% of nurses who left their employment did so because of burnout, with these nurses commonly citing stressful work environments (68.6%) and inadequate staffing (63.0%) as contributing factors.

Looking forward, the projections are even more concerning. The 2022 NCSBN workforce survey projected that by 2027, nearly one million additional nurses could leave the profession, with burnout again identified as a pivotal driver. This continuous drain of experienced professionals results not only in the loss of valuable institutional knowledge and clinical expertise but also places an increased burden on the remaining staff, further perpetuating the cycle of overwork and burnout.

Impact on Patient Safety and Outcomes

The well-being of nurses is inextricably linked to the safety and quality of patient care. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) views burnout as a significant threat to patient safety, noting that depersonalization—a core component of burnout—can lead to poorer interactions with patients. Emotionally exhausted clinicians may curtail their performance due to fatigue, and experience impaired attention, memory, and executive function, all of which elevate the risk of medical errors.

These concerns are strongly substantiated by a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open in 2024 by Katsari et al., which included 85 studies and data from 288,581 nurses, with literature searched up to February 2024. This landmark study found that nurse burnout was significantly associated with a range of negative patient outcomes:

• Lower safety climate or culture ($SMD,-0.68$)
• Lower perceived safety grade ($SMD,-0.53$)
• More frequent nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections ($SMD,-0.20$)
• More patient falls ($SMD,-0.12$)
• More medication errors ($SMD,-0.30$)
• More frequent adverse events or patient safety incidents ($SMD,-0.42$)
• Increased missed care or care left undone ($SMD,-0.58$)
• Lower patient satisfaction ratings ($SMD,-0.51$)
• Lower nurse-assessed quality of care ($SMD,-0.44$)

This robust evidence clearly demonstrates that nurse burnout acts as a kind of “threat multiplier” for patient safety. It’s not just linked to one type of adverse event but to a broad spectrum of negative outcomes, suggesting that burnout systemically degrades multiple layers of defense in patient care processes. When burnout is prevalent, it impairs the cognitive functions, vigilance, and engagement of a significant portion of the nursing staff. This widespread degradation means multiple points of potential failure in care, from assessment to intervention to monitoring, making the entire care environment inherently less safe. The Joint Commission also formally recognizes that burnout can reduce the quality of care and negatively affect patient safety.

Impact on Organizational Finances (Turnover Costs)

The financial toll of nurse burnout, primarily driven by high turnover rates, is substantial for healthcare organizations. According to the 2025 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report, the average cost of turnover for a single staff RN surged to $61,110 in 2024, an 8.6% increase from $56,300 in 2023. This cost can range from $49,500 to $72,700 per nurse. At the hospital level, each percentage point change in RN turnover can translate to an average cost or saving of $289,000 annually.

Despite some improvements, the national RN vacancy rate stood at 9.6% in 2024. While hospitals are actively hiring, these vacancies represent significant gaps that strain existing resources. Furthermore, the average time to recruit an experienced RN was 83 days in 2024. During these lengthy recruitment periods, current staff often face increased workloads, or organizations must resort to expensive temporary staffing solutions, further impacting budgets.

It is important to recognize that these direct turnover costs likely underestimate the true financial impact of nurse burnout. They typically do not encompass the “hidden costs” associated with reduced productivity of burned-out nurses who remain on the job (presenteeism), the costs of medical errors and adverse events (which can lead to longer hospital stays, additional treatments, and potential litigation), the negative impact on the morale and productivity of the remaining team members, or potential reputational damage that might affect patient volumes. When these broader financial implications are considered, the economic case for investing in comprehensive burnout prevention and well-being strategies becomes even more compelling.

<h3>Infographic Placeholder: The Domino Effect of Nurse Burnout</h3>

• Description: This infographic would visually depict a series of falling dominos to illustrate the cascading negative consequences of unaddressed nurse burnout.
  • The first domino, labeled “High Nurse Burnout (65% Report High Stress/Burnout)”, would initiate the chain reaction.
  • This would topple the next domino: “Increased Nurse Turnover (138,000+ Left Since 2022)”.
  • Leading to: “Soaring Replacement Costs ($61,110 per RN)”.
  • Which in turn impacts: “Compromised Patient Safety (Icons: Medication Error, Fall, Infection)”.
  • Resulting in: “Reduced Quality of Care & Patient Satisfaction (Icon: Low Satisfaction Score)”.
  • The final state depicted would be a “Weakened Healthcare System.”
• This visual would powerfully summarize how nurse burnout is not an isolated issue but one with far-reaching and detrimental effects on the entire healthcare ecosystem, making the connections clear and memorable for all stakeholders.

The degradation of the patient experience, evidenced by lower patient satisfaction ratings associated with nurse burnout, also has tangible consequences beyond subjective feelings. In today’s healthcare landscape, patient experience scores, such as HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems), are increasingly tied to clinical outcomes and hospital reimbursement levels. Burned-out nurses, potentially exhibiting depersonalization or emotional exhaustion, may struggle to provide the empathetic, communicative, and attentive care that patients expect and deserve. This can lead to patients feeling unheard or poorly cared for, impacting their trust, adherence to treatment plans, and ultimately, their satisfaction scores, which carry financial and reputational weight for healthcare organizations.

4. Who’s Hurting Most? Demographic & Geographic Hotspots

While nurse burnout is a widespread issue, its prevalence and intensity are not uniform across the profession. Certain clinical settings, nursing roles, geographic locations, and demographic groups appear to bear a disproportionate burden of stress and exhaustion. Identifying these hotspots is crucial for tailoring targeted interventions.

Comparison by Setting

The clinical environment is a strong predictor of burnout. Acute care settings consistently report the highest rates of burnout-related mental health strain. A 2024 Nurse.com report indicated that 23% of acute care nurses stated their work negatively affected their mental health. These nurses are also significantly more likely to experience workplace violence, a known contributor to psychological stress.

Ambulatory care nurses are not far behind, with 15% reporting negative mental health effects from their work. While often perceived as less intense than inpatient care, outpatient settings can present unique stressors, including high patient volumes, role ambiguity, significant administrative burdens tied to productivity metrics, and challenges with care coordination.

Nurses in long-term care (LTC) and home health or hospice settings also report feeling overwhelmed, though specific comparative percentages from the Nurse.com 2024 report were not detailed. Data from the 2018 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN) showed that while hospital settings had greater odds of burnout contributing to nurses leaving their jobs compared to clinic/ambulatory settings, “other inpatient settings,” which can include some LTC facilities, also demonstrated high rates of burnout-related departures. The unique emotional demands of caring for chronically ill or terminally ill patients, coupled with resource limitations often seen in these sectors, contribute to their stress.

Specific data on telehealth nurse burnout is less prevalent in current broad surveys but represents an emerging area of concern as telehealth models expand. Initial stressors may relate to technological challenges, evolving workflows, and maintaining patient connection through virtual means.

Comparison by Role

Burnout rates also differ by nursing licensure and role. Registered Nurses (RNs), who formed the majority (72%) of respondents in the Nurse.com survey, reported moderate to high levels of burnout, frequently citing unmanageable nurse-to-patient ratios, dissatisfaction with salary, and poor leadership responsiveness as significant negative impacts on their mental health.

Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs/LVNs), comprising 24% of the Nurse.com sample, also reported high rates of mandated overtime (29%), a factor that directly contributes to workload pressure and fatigue, increasing burnout risk.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), including Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), often report greater job satisfaction, partly attributed to higher salaries and greater autonomy. However, they are not immune to burnout. APRNs, particularly those in outpatient roles, can experience significant stress related to role ambiguity, heavy administrative burdens, and relentless productivity metrics. A 2021 study conducted across 50 Magnet® hospitals found that 38% of APRNs reported high burnout.

Urban vs. Rural Disparities

The experience of nurse burnout in urban versus rural settings presents a mixed and complex picture. One study involving hospital staff during the COVID-19 pandemic found that those in rural areas demonstrated higher levels of compassion satisfaction and lower levels of burnout compared to their urban counterparts. The researchers suggested this difference might be due to the close-knit nature of rural communities, where staff are often caring for people they know personally, fostering a protective sense of connection and mutual support.

However, other research indicates that rural nurses face their own significant stressors. A 2024 study focusing on RNs in a rural acute care setting found notable levels of burnout (high emotional exhaustion), moderate anxiety, and moderately severe depression. This suggests that while community ties can be beneficial, rural settings are not inherently shielded from burnout and may present unique challenges such as limited resources, professional isolation, and difficulties in accessing specialized support or continuing education. The reality of rural nursing burnout is likely highly variable, influenced by specific community dynamics, hospital leadership, and resource availability. “Rural” is not a monolithic experience, and solutions must be context-specific.

Specialty Units (ICU, ED, Telemetry, Step-Down)

High-acuity, high-stress environments like Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and Emergency Departments (EDs) are consistently identified as burnout hotspots. ICU nurses face profound psychological impacts stemming from the intense nature of their work, including high patient mortality, frequent end-of-life decisions, increased workloads, medication and equipment shortages, and significant moral distress. Studies conducted during the pandemic era highlighted high rates of anxiety, depression, and PTSD among ICU staff.

ED nurses also experience exceptionally high burnout rates. One study by Chernoff et al. reported a burnout rate of 78% among ED nurses. A systematic review indicated that ED nurse burnout rates could range from 22.4% (classified as “at risk”) to as high as 82% (experiencing moderate to high levels of burnout). ED nurses in acute care settings also report a high incidence of workplace violence.

Units such as Telemetry and Step-Down, along with the ED, have demonstrated the highest staff mobility over a five-year period, with cumulative turnover rates between 113% and 121%. This means these departments, on average, turn over their entire RN staff in less than four and a half years, a clear indicator of a highly stressful and potentially unsustainable work environment. This extreme churn suggests that even if nurses gain experience, these specific environments may be inherently untenable for many over the medium term, pointing to an “experience paradox” where the intensity of the work overwhelms the protective effects of accrued experience.

Early-Career vs. Veteran Nurses

Burnout risk varies across career stages. Early-career nurses appear particularly vulnerable. A 2020 survey cited by the ANA indicated that 69% of nurses under the age of 25 reported experiencing burnout, a rate higher than the overall average of 62% at that time. Younger, less-experienced nurses in Texas also reported significantly higher rates of workplace violence, with 90.9% of nurses aged 27 or younger having experienced WPV in the past 12 months. The “transition shock” that new graduates often experience when moving from the academic setting to the realities of clinical practice is a known contributor to early job dissatisfaction and attrition.

While much focus is often placed on new nurses, veteran nurses are by no means immune to burnout. Prolonged exposure to systemic stressors, cumulative moral distress, and the physical demands of the job over many years can lead to significant exhaustion and cynicism. Although the NCSBN’s 2024 study noted a slight increase in the median age of the nursing workforce as some experienced nurses returned, this demographic shift does not negate their ongoing risk of burnout.

Other Demographic Factors

Disparities in burnout are also evident across other demographic lines, such as gender and race/ethnicity, highlighting that experiences within nursing are not uniform. According to the Nurse.com 2024 report, female nurses (who constituted 89% of their survey respondents) reported higher levels of intimidation by colleagues and greater dissatisfaction with salary and wage policies. Interestingly, male nurses in the same survey were slightly more likely to consider leaving the profession (28% compared to 22% of females).

Regarding race and ethnicity, the data reveals concerning trends. Nurses identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native had the highest rate of considering leaving the profession, at 41%. This stark figure suggests deep dissatisfaction possibly linked to systemic inequities, lack of culturally specific support, or unique workplace challenges. Nurses who identified as Hispanic, Latinx, or of Spanish origin reported elevated dissatisfaction with their salaries.

These demographic variations underscore the intersectionality of vulnerability. A nurse belonging to multiple at-risk categories—for instance, an early-career RN from a minority group working in a high-stress ED—likely faces a compounded burden of stressors. This necessitates nuanced, culturally competent interventions rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to burnout prevention and well-being support.

5. Evidence-Based Interventions That Work: From Unit to System

Despite the daunting scale of nurse burnout, a growing body of evidence points to effective interventions that can mitigate stress, improve well-being, and foster more supportive work environments. These strategies span unit-level initiatives, organizational reforms, and broader systemic changes.

Unit-Level Interventions

Changes implemented directly within nursing units can have a significant impact on the daily experiences of nurses.

Shared Governance: Empowering nurses by involving them in decision-making processes related to their practice environment, patient care standards, and unit policies is a cornerstone of shared governance. Research consistently links shared governance with positive outcomes. A study by Kutney-Lee et al. (2016) found that nurses who were highly engaged in shared governance reported significantly less burnout (23% compared to 52% for the least engaged) and lower job dissatisfaction (13% versus 43%). Hospitals with Magnet® recognition, which emphasizes shared governance, generally exhibit lower nurse burnout and higher job satisfaction. The mechanism behind these benefits lies in enhancing nurses’ sense of autonomy, professional respect, and control over their work, all of which are protective factors against burnout.

Flexible Scheduling Models: Offering nurses greater control over their work hours through options like self-scheduling, flexible shift lengths, or shift-swapping can significantly improve work-life balance and reduce stress. The ANA supports flexible scheduling models, noting their positive impact on nurse well-being and retention rates. Reflecting this understanding, the Hallmark “2025 Survey Results: Emerging Healthcare Workforce Trends” found that nearly all surveyed healthcare leaders plan to increase the use of flexible work options in the coming year. Successful examples include the Cleveland Clinic’s Nursing Workforce Flexibility Taskforce, which developed resources and guidelines for new staffing options, and Mercy’s “Mercy Works on Demand” platform, which uses a gig-style model to fill shifts. The combination of shared governance and flexible scheduling contributes to an “empowerment triad,” enhancing nurses’ sense of control over their practice and work-life, which are fundamental psychological needs.

Mindfulness & Peer-Support Programs: Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) aim to equip nurses with skills to manage stress, enhance self-awareness, cultivate self-compassion, and build resilience. An integrative review of 20 studies concluded that MBIs can significantly reduce perceived stress and burnout symptoms among nurses, while also increasing protective factors like self-compassion and overall mindfulness. Effective MBI programs often include guidance from a skilled mindfulness instructor, regular practice of mindfulness exercises (such as meditation and body scans), an educational component explaining the philosophies of mindfulness, and often a team or group component to foster connection and shared experience. Digitally supported MBIs are also emerging as a scalable option.

Peer-support programs offer crucial emotional and psychological support, particularly for nurses who have experienced traumatic work-related events, such as medical errors or patient deaths (often referred to as the “Second Victim Phenomenon” or SVP). These programs can help reduce feelings of isolation, validate experiences, and enhance resilience. A German study estimated that comprehensive peer-support programs for nurses could yield substantial economic benefits by reducing SVP-induced absenteeism, potentially saving approximately €1.02 billion annually in that country alone.

It is important to note, however, that while MBIs and peer support are valuable tools for individual and team well-being, they should not be viewed as panaceas for systemic problems. If severe underlying issues like chronic understaffing, pervasive workplace violence, or crushing EHR burdens remain unaddressed, the benefits of individual resilience training can be overwhelmed. A sole focus on individual coping can inadvertently shift responsibility onto the nurse rather than addressing the organizational and systemic failures that create toxic work environments. Thus, these interventions are most effective when implemented as part of a comprehensive strategy that also tackles root causes.

Organizational-Level Interventions

Broader changes at the organizational level are essential for creating lasting improvements in nurse well-being.

Magnet® Recognition Program Principles: The ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® designates organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing practice and adherence to high standards for patient care. Magnet hospitals are characterized by transformational leadership, structural empowerment (which includes robust shared governance), exemplary professional practice, new knowledge and innovation, and empirical quality results. Numerous studies have shown that Magnet-designated hospitals generally have better nurse outcomes, including lower burnout rates, higher job satisfaction, and improved nurse retention compared to non-Magnet facilities. However, achieving Magnet status is not a final fix. A 2021 study across 50 Magnet hospitals still found that 49% of RNs and 38% of APRNs reported high burnout. This indicates that while Magnet principles provide a strong and valuable framework, the journey to sustain a healthy work environment requires continuous effort, vigilance, and adaptation to ongoing and emerging stressors, even in high-performing organizations.

Technology Workflow Optimizations (EHR): Given the significant contribution of EHR burden to nurse stress, optimizing technology workflows is a critical organizational intervention. Strategies include the targeted use of medical scribes, specialized EHR training programs to improve efficiency (such as Epic’s “Nursing SmartUser” program), and direct EHR modifications. These modifications can range from creating data entry automations and streamlining forms to revising clinical workflows within the EHR and reducing the volume of low-value inbox notifications and alerts. A systematic review of such interventions found they were generally well-received and could lead to subjective improvements in documentation time and EHR satisfaction. However, the review also noted that these interventions might not always lead to objective reductions in burnout if underlying EHR usability defects persist or if other significant systemic stressors are not concurrently addressed.

Creating a Culture of Safety and Support: Organizations must actively cultivate a culture that prioritizes both physical and psychological safety. This includes implementing robust programs to prevent and address workplace violence, moving beyond mere reaction to proactive strategies. It also requires fostering strong, visible leadership that leads with empathy, respect, and transparency, and actively champions nurse well-being. Critically, this involves ensuring adequate staffing levels and manageable workloads, which the CDC has shown to be directly linked to lower burnout odds.

6. Policy & Leadership Levers: Driving System-Wide Change

Addressing the pervasive issue of nurse burnout requires more than individual coping strategies or isolated organizational initiatives; it necessitates systemic change driven by robust policies, accreditation mandates, and unwavering leadership commitment at all levels. These levers can create the foundational conditions for a healthier and more sustainable nursing workforce.

State/Federal Legislation

Legislative action at both state and federal levels can establish crucial protections and supports for nurses.

Safe Staffing Laws: One of the most debated but potentially impactful legislative approaches involves safe staffing laws. These laws typically aim to ensure adequate nurse staffing levels, either by mandating specific minimum nurse-to-patient ratios or by requiring hospitals to establish staffing committees with significant frontline nurse representation to develop and implement unit-specific staffing plans. California has had mandated ratios for many years. More recently, Washington State enacted SB 5236 (effective 2024/2025), which mandates the establishment of hospital staffing committees where at least 50% of members are direct patient care staff. These committees are tasked with developing annual staffing plans based on multiple factors including patient acuity and evidence-based standards, with these plans submitted to and enforced by the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), including provisions for financial penalties for non-compliance. The ANA has advocated for solutions that include both staffing committees and, where appropriate, legislated minimum ratios, recognizing the critical link between staffing and patient and nurse safety. While such legislation often faces opposition from hospital associations concerned about costs and inflexibility, proponents argue it is essential for addressing chronic understaffing and its detrimental effects on burnout and care quality.

Mental Health Parity & Support for Healthcare Workers: Federal legislation has begun to address the mental health crisis among healthcare providers directly. The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, signed into law in March 2022, was a landmark achievement in this area. This Act honors Dr. Lorna Breen, an emergency physician who died by suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic. It allocated $103 million to 44 organizations to fund programs aimed at reducing burnout, preventing suicide, improving access to mental health services, and addressing substance use disorders among healthcare workers. A key component of the Act was the launch of the Impact Wellbeing™ initiative, which provides hospital administrators with evidence-based resources and strategies to mitigate healthcare worker burnout and foster supportive workplace cultures. Efforts to reauthorize and expand this critical legislation are ongoing, highlighting its importance in addressing stigma and ensuring care for caregivers.

Workplace Violence Prevention Legislation: There is a growing movement to enact stronger state and federal laws to protect healthcare workers from assault and intimidation, similar to protections afforded to other public-facing professions. Such legislation often includes requirements for WPV prevention plans, staff training, and stricter penalties for assaulting healthcare workers.

The passage of such laws is a vital first step, but their true impact hinges on diligent implementation, robust enforcement, and a concurrent shift in organizational culture. A “legislation-culture lag” can occur, where the intent of the law is not fully realized at the bedside without sustained advocacy, oversight, and genuine commitment from healthcare leaders to embrace the principles behind these legal mandates.

Accreditation Standards

Accreditation bodies, particularly The Joint Commission (TJC), play a significant role in shaping healthcare quality and safety standards, and increasingly, their focus is extending to workforce well-being. TJC emphasizes that creating a healthy and supportive work environment is not only crucial for the well-being of healthcare workers but also for delivering high-quality patient care. They have proposed a five-step framework for healthcare organizations to commit to worker well-being: Commit (make well-being a strategic priority), Appoint (designate a senior leader to champion well-being), Assess (regularly measure clinician well-being), Implement (deploy targeted strategies), and Monitor (track progress and adjust initiatives).

In 2019, TJC released Quick Safety Issue 50, “Developing Resilience to Combat Nurse Burnout,” offering guidance to healthcare facilities. Their resources highlight common factors contributing to burnout, such as exclusion from decision-making processes, the need for greater autonomy, security risks related to workplace violence, and persistent staffing issues. While TJC provides valuable guidance and resources, specific, enforceable standards that directly mandate comprehensive burnout prevention programs with the same stringency as some clinical safety standards may still be evolving. Nevertheless, TJC’s increasing emphasis on leadership commitment to worker well-being acts as a powerful “soft power” lever, influencing organizational priorities and encouraging the adoption of best practices even if not strictly mandated with punitive consequences. This evolving stance is a key indicator of potential future systemic changes driven by accreditation.

<h3>Leadership Commitments & Organizational Policies</h3>

Ultimately, driving system-wide change requires unwavering commitment from healthcare leadership. Top-level endorsement and active championship of nurse well-being are essential for the success of any intervention. Leaders must visibly prioritize well-being within their organization’s strategic plans and ensure adequate allocation of financial and human resources to support these initiatives long-term.

This includes investing in the development of nurse leaders at all levels, equipping them with the skills to foster psychologically safe team environments, communicate empathetically, manage conflict effectively, and advocate for better working conditions for their staff. Organizations should adopt data-driven strategies, utilizing workforce analytics to monitor burnout indicators, turnover rates, staff engagement, and the impact of interventions, allowing for targeted and adaptive approaches.

Crucially, leadership must commit to addressing the systemic root causes of burnout. This means proactively tackling unsafe staffing levels and excessive workloads, championing efforts to improve EHR usability and reduce administrative burdens, implementing comprehensive workplace violence prevention programs, and fostering an organizational culture rooted in respect, inclusivity, and open communication. The recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine’s “Future of Nursing 2020-2030” report further underscore the critical role of strengthening nurse leadership and prioritizing nurse well-being to ensure a sustainable workforce capable of advancing health equity.

The effectiveness of policy and the strength of leadership are interdependent. Supportive policies, like the Dr. Lorna Breen Act, provide the framework and resources that enable leaders to implement meaningful well-being initiatives. Conversely, strong and visionary leadership is necessary to advocate for the creation and passage of such supportive policies and to translate existing policies into tangible, impactful actions within their organizations. Progress requires a concerted effort on both fronts.

7. Action Plan for Nurses & Employers: Charting a Path to Well-Being

Addressing the crisis of nurse burnout requires a collaborative effort, with both individual nurses and their employers playing distinct yet complementary roles. This section outlines actionable steps for nurses to build personal resilience and agency, and for leaders and employers to cultivate supportive cultures and implement systemic improvements. This shared responsibility model is crucial: individual efforts to cope can be overwhelmed by toxic systems, while even the best systems require individuals to engage with available resources and practice self-stewardship.

<h3>For Individual Nurses: Building Personal Resilience & Agency</h3>

While systemic change is paramount, individual nurses can take proactive steps to protect their well-being and advocate for better conditions.

• Self-Assessment & Awareness: The first step is recognizing the signs of burnout. Early warning signs include feeling constantly overworked or exhausted, dreading work, feeling unappreciated, or experiencing a cynical detachment from the job. Nurses can utilize validated self-assessment tools, when available and appropriate, such as the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), or shorter screening tools like the Mini-Z Burnout Survey. It’s important to understand that these tools are primarily for self-awareness and research, and formal MBI cut-off scores for “diagnosing” burnout have been removed due to lack of diagnostic validity.
• Utilize Available Support Systems: Many healthcare organizations offer resources that can provide crucial support. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) provide confidential counseling, referrals, and support for a variety of personal and work-related issues. Studies have shown that EAPs can be effective in reducing psychological distress, particularly when the organizational culture supports psychological safety. Engaging with peer support programs, whether formal or informal, can also be beneficial, offering a space to share experiences, reduce feelings of isolation, and gain validation, especially after difficult or traumatic clinical events. Seeking mentorship from experienced colleagues can provide guidance, perspective, and support in navigating career challenges.
• Practice Self-Care & Coping Mechanisms: Actively engaging in self-care is vital for replenishing physical and emotional reserves. This includes:
  • Prioritizing Rest: Ensuring adequate sleep between shifts is crucial. Practicing good sleep hygiene, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and minimizing screen time before bed, can help.
  • Nutrition and Hydration: Maintaining a healthy diet and staying hydrated supports physical and mental energy levels.
  • Physical Activity: Regular exercise has proven stress-alleviating effects and can improve overall fitness, making the physical demands of nursing less strenuous.
  • Taking Breaks: It is essential to take scheduled breaks during shifts and to find moments to step away and decompress, even briefly.
  • Mindfulness and Reflection: Practices like meditation, mindful breathing, or reflective journaling can help manage stress, increase self-awareness, and process difficult emotions.
  • Setting Boundaries: Establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life is important for preventing work stress from encroaching on restorative time.
  • Engaging in Hobbies: Pursuing interests and activities outside of work provides an outlet for relaxation and enjoyment.
  • Connecting with Nature: Spending time outdoors, even for short periods, can promote calmness and reduce stress.
• Continuing Education (CE) for Resilience & Self-Care: Nurses can seek out continuing education opportunities focused on topics such as stress management techniques, building personal resilience, mindfulness practices, improving sleep hygiene, understanding and navigating moral distress, and effective communication skills.
• Advocate for Change: Individual nurses can contribute to positive change by participating in shared governance councils or unit-based committees, giving them a voice in decisions that affect their practice and work environment. It is also important to voice concerns about staffing levels, safety issues, and workload through appropriate organizational channels and to support professional nursing organizations that advocate for systemic improvements at local, state, and national levels.
• Address Stigma: A significant barrier to nurses seeking help is the stigma associated with mental health challenges. Nineteen percent of nurses report avoiding mental health services due to fears it could harm their careers. Talking openly yet appropriately about mental health with trusted colleagues can help normalize these experiences and encourage others to seek support when needed.

<h3>For Leaders & Employers: Creating Supportive Cultures & Systems</h3>

Healthcare leaders and employers bear the primary responsibility for creating work environments that prevent burnout and support nurse well-being. This requires a strategic and sustained commitment.

• Commit to Well-being as a Strategic Priority: Following The Joint Commission’s framework, organizations must make worker well-being a core strategic priority. This involves appointing a senior leader to champion well-being initiatives and integrating well-being goals into the organization’s overall strategy, operational plans, and budget allocations.
• Burnout Surveillance & Data-Driven Action: To move from reactive to proactive management of burnout, organizations should implement systems for regular surveillance. This includes:
  • Regularly assessing nurse well-being using validated tools.
  • Tracking key metrics such as nurse turnover rates (overall, voluntary, first-year, and by specific unit/shift), staff engagement scores, absenteeism rates, overtime hours, workplace violence incidents, patient-to-staff ratios, and EAP utilization rates.
  • Developing “burnout surveillance dashboards” to monitor these trends in real-time, identify high-risk units or “hotspots,” and trigger early interventions. This data-driven approach allows for targeted resource allocation and proactive problem-solving before burnout becomes widespread and deeply entrenched.
• Foster a Culture of Psychological Safety & Support: A positive organizational culture is foundational. This involves:
  • Investing in leadership development programs that train managers and supervisors in empathetic communication, active listening, conflict resolution, and skills for creating supportive and psychologically safe team environments.
  • Promoting open and transparent communication channels where nurses feel safe to voice concerns without fear of retribution.
  • Implementing comprehensive workplace violence prevention programs with clear reporting mechanisms and zero-tolerance policies.
  • Actively working to destigmatize mental health issues and promote the use of EAPs and other mental health benefits. The effectiveness of EAPs is closely tied to the broader organizational culture; if stigma is high, utilization will be low. Leaders must champion a culture where seeking help is viewed as a sign of strength and self-awareness.
• Optimize the Work Environment: Addressing the tangible stressors in the work environment is critical:
  • Ensure Safe Staffing Levels: Implement staffing plans based on patient acuity, evidence-based standards, and direct nurse input, as mandated by new laws in states like Washington.
  • Implement Flexible Scheduling Options: Offer nurses greater control over their schedules to improve work-life balance.
  • Reduce Administrative Burdens: Continuously work to streamline administrative tasks and optimize EHR workflows to reduce clicks, improve usability, and minimize documentation time spent away from direct patient care.
  • Invest in Technology: Ensure that technology solutions are chosen and implemented to genuinely support nursing practice, rather than creating additional obstacles.
• Invest in Nurses: Demonstrate that nurses are valued through:
  • Offering competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits packages.
  • Providing robust opportunities for professional development, continuing education, and career advancement pathways.
  • Implementing meaningful recognition programs that acknowledge nurses’ contributions and hard work beyond token gestures.
• Establish Resilience Councils or Well-being Committees: Create multidisciplinary committees, with strong representation from frontline nurses, to champion well-being initiatives. These councils can be empowered through shared governance principles to review well-being data, identify pressing issues, and recommend evidence-based solutions and policy changes to leadership.
• Support System-Level Policy Change: Healthcare organizations and their leaders should actively advocate for and support local, state, and federal policies that promote nurse well-being, such as adequate funding for mental health resources, safe staffing legislation, and measures to prevent workplace violence.

By adopting these comprehensive action plans, both individual nurses and healthcare organizations can contribute to mitigating the current burnout crisis and building a more resilient and supportive future for the nursing profession.

Conclusion

The evidence is unequivocal: nurse burnout remains a pervasive and worsening crisis within the U.S. healthcare system. The latest data, including the “Beyond the Bedside: The State of Nursing in 2025” survey showing 65% of nurses experiencing high stress and burnout, alongside corroborating trends from CDC reports indicating rising poor mental health days and harassment among health workers, paints a stark picture. This is not merely an issue of occupational stress; it is a critical threat to the well-being of nurses, the safety and quality of patient care, and the financial stability and operational capacity of healthcare organizations. The human cost is immense, reflected in disillusioned professionals, compromised health, and careers cut short. The financial costs, driven by high turnover—averaging $61,110 to replace a single RN—and the expenses associated with medical errors and reduced patient satisfaction, are staggering.

The urgency to address this situation cannot be overstated. The data serves as a critical warning that inaction will lead to a further hollowing out of the nursing profession, exacerbating existing shortages and potentially crippling the healthcare system’s ability to meet the nation’s needs. The consistent rise in burnout indicators suggests that current pressures are becoming deeply entrenched, transforming what might have been acute responses into a chronic state of crisis for the workforce.

However, despair is not the only recourse. This report has outlined a multitude of evidence-based solutions that, if implemented with commitment and resources, can pave a path toward recovery and renewal. From unit-level interventions like shared governance and flexible scheduling that empower nurses, to organizational commitments to optimize EHRs and create psychologically safe cultures, and to vital policy levers such as safe staffing legislation and the Dr. Lorna Breen Act, the tools for change exist.

The call to action is clear: a multi-pronged, evidence-driven approach is required, involving concerted efforts from individual nurses, healthcare employers, educational institutions, professional associations, and policymakers. This is not a challenge that can be solved with piecemeal efforts or short-term fixes. The deeply systemic nature of burnout, rooted in issues of workload, administrative burden, moral distress, and workplace safety, demands sustained investment and an unwavering commitment to transforming the work environment. As John A. Martins, President & CEO of Cross Country, emphasized, “We must create a system where they feel heard, valued, and empowered to thrive—not just survive”.

Ultimately, the goal must extend beyond merely reducing burnout to manageable levels; it must aspire to create conditions where nurses can genuinely thrive, experience joy and meaning in their work, and feel their invaluable contributions are recognized and supported. Supporting nurses today is indeed an investment in the health of tomorrow. By embracing evidence-driven change and fostering a culture of profound respect and support for the nursing profession, we can begin to reverse the tide of burnout and build a stronger, healthier future for nurses and the patients they serve.