Nursing is a demanding profession that often requires long hours and intense emotional labor. As a result, nurses are at high risk for burnout, which is characterized by feelings of exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced effectiveness at work. In the United States, the problem of nursing burnout has been exacerbated by several factors, including the increasing complexity of medical care, the ongoing shortage of nurses, and the recent economic recession. As a result of these factors, nurses are under immense pressure to provide high-quality care while maintaining their well-being. The problem of nursing burnout has significant implications for patient care and the overall quality of the healthcare system. To address this problem, it is essential to understand its causes and effects. The world is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Jo et al. (2021), the issue of nursing burnout has come out more evidently now than before. This assessment aims to provide a comprehensive overview of nursing burnout in the United States, including its causes and effects, and offer evidence-based recommendations for addressing the issue.
When exploring nursing burnout in any clinical setting, it is essential first to understand what is meant by the term “burnout.” According to the World Health Organization, burnout is a syndrome that results from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Burnout is associated with the commitment nurses have toward their patients as well as the high demands of the profession. Nurses are among the most critical and hardworking people in the medical profession. They are constantly on their feet, caring for patients and providing them with vital support and treatment. However, this constant commitment to their patients can often lead to burnout. Nurses may find themselves working long hours with little break, leading to mental and physical fatigue. This can have a severe impact on their health and well-being, as well as their ability to provide care for their patients. Burnout is a genuine issue for nurses that must be addressed to protect their health and the quality of care they can provide. There are different types of fatigue that nurses may experience. These can be categorized as physical, mental, or emotional fatigue. Physical fatigue is the most common type of fatigue experienced by nurses. It is often caused by working long hours, standing for long periods, or lifting heavy patients. Mental fatigue can be caused by the stress of making life-and-death decisions, dealing with complex patients, or working in a chaotic environment. Emotional fatigue is often caused by the compassion fatigue nurses experience when caring for suffering patients. This type of fatigue can lead to cynicism, detachment from work, and a feeling of being overwhelmed. All of these types of fatigue can lead to burnout.
The causes of nursing burnout are multifactorial and include individual, organizational, and societal factors (Bakhamis et al., 2019). Individual factors contributing to nursing burnout include high job demands, low job satisfaction, lack of autonomy, and poor work-life balance (McHugh et al., 2021; White et al., 2019). Organizational factors contributing to nursing burnout include poor working conditions, lack of support from managers, and lack of resources. Societal factors that contribute to nursing burnout include the nursing shortage, understaffing, and the high prevalence of violence in the healthcare setting. There are many strategies that nurses can use to cope with burnout. These strategies include seeking social support, practicing self-care, and using relaxation techniques. Nurses can also seek professional help if they are struggling to cope with burnout on their own.
While nursing burnout has been a problem in the past, it has intensified in recent years due to different factors. One of the most significant contributors to nursing burnout is the increasing complexity of medical care. As medical technology advances and the population ages, the demand for nursing care has increased significantly. Nurses care for patients with a wide range of acute and chronic conditions. According to Prasad et al. (2021), by April 2021, the United States had already recorded more than 28 million COVID-19 cases. Due to such high demand, nurses were often required to work long hours, which led to physical and mental fatigue. In addition, the current economic climate has led to a decrease in funding for healthcare. This has resulted in a lack of resources, such as staff and supplies, which can add to the stress on nurses who are already working under challenging conditions.
The nurse-to-patient ratio is not well balanced, leading to an increase in the number of patients each nurse is responsible for. The workload is one of the leading causes of nu
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