Learn about healthcare worker burnout research and methods for addressing burnout at your organization.
With the coronavirus pandemic in its third year, healthcare worker burnout was a top concern in 2022. The following seven HealthLeaders stories provided insight and solutions for healthcare worker burnout.
1. The Business Case for Clinician Wellness
This article appeared in the November/December 2022 edition of HealthLeaders magazine. Health systems and hospitals realize a return on investment when investing in the wellness of the clinical workforce. Learn about how to address burnout among physicians and nurses.
2. Physicians Reporting at Least One Burnout Symptom Rises From 38.2% in 2020 to 62.8% in 2021
The physician burnout level and other measures of physician distress increased dramatically during the pandemic, a research article found. In survey data, mean emotional exhaustion scores among physicians increased 38.6% from 2020 to 2021.
3. One-Third of Nurses Plan to Quit Their Jobs in 2022, Thanks to High Stress and Burnout
Nearly 32% of nurses planned to retire or leave the field altogether, while 40% planned to pursue a nursing role elsewhere, a study found. Nearly half of nurses surveyed said they planned to change jobs because of burnout and a high-stress environment.
In survey data, emotional exhaustion among physicians decreased from 31.8% in 2019 to 28.3% in 2020, then increased to 37.8% in the second year of the pandemic. Emotional exhaustion among nurses increased from 40.6% in 2019 to 46.5% in 2020 and 49.2% in the second year of the pandemic.
5. More Than 5K Nurses Sign Up for Free Burnout Prevention Program
The American Nurses Association partnered with SE Healthcare to create the Burnout Prevention Enrichment Center. The web-based platform offered 24/7 access to a collection of tools and audio and video educational content to help prevent career burnout.
6. Second Year of Coronavirus Pandemic Took Heavy Toll on Clinicians
Survey data showed that 45% of clinicians reported burnout in 2019, with the burnout rate rising to 60% in late 2021. Higher rates of burnout were reported in chaotic workplaces (odds ratio 1.51) and settings with low work control (odds ratio 2.10).
7. Healthcare Worker Peer Support: 'We Can Have a Conversation and Walk Alongside Them'
At Bon Secours Mercy Health, a peer support program is a key component of the health system's healthcare worker well-being efforts. Bon Secours Mercy Health's peer support program started with physicians in May 2020 and has grown to serve all healthcare workers.
Christopher Cheney is the CMO editor at HealthLeaders.