Despite recent improving trends following the pandemic period, nurses still face hiking levels of burnout and mental health issues. Causes for the nurse mental health crisis are numerous, many being systemic and requiring a coordinated approach for their mitigation. However, employers, stakeholders, and the nursing community at large can take several actionable steps towards addressing the current crisis, granted that they attain a proper understanding of the current state of mental health in nursing, differences relating to nursing roles and job experience levels, as well as the leading underlying causes.
If you want to explore the details of nurses’ mental health, we have prepared a complete guide that provides current statistics and influencing factors, as well as recommended actionable steps and resources for addressing the mental health of nurses and improving their well-being in their work environment.
Here are the facts about the current state of mental health of nurses in the US:
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Current State of Nurses’ Mental Health Statistics
According to a 2023 survey completed by the American Nurses Foundation in collaboration with McKinsey & Company, more than half of nurses in the United States reported symptoms of burnout in the years following, and as a result of, the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the survey’s findings, 56% of respondents reported experiencing symptoms of burnout, while 64% declared to feel increased stress levels due to their jobs. While the percentage of nurses experiencing acute stress and burnout has decreased year over year (except for those feeling some moderate symptoms), the proportion of nurses who reported feeling content with their work has faced a relative decrease.
Here is the breakdown of surveyed nurses based on reported levels of burnout and stress:
| Level of burnout reported by nurses | July 2022 rates | November 2022 rates | May 2023 rates |
| Complete burnout to the point of needing to seek help | 7% | 4% | 4% |
| Enduring symptoms of burnout resulting in work frustrations | 27% | 22% | 16% |
| One or more symptoms of burnout, such as emotional exhaustion | 22% | 21% | 36% |
| Under stress but not burned out | 33% | 36% | 31% |
| Enjoying work with no symptoms of burnout | 11% | 16% | 12% |
The reported levels of poor nurse mental health and wellbeing challenges have stagnated over the years despite slight improvements to the most severe symptoms.
Nurse Mental Health Rates Based on Experience Level
The highest burnout and work-related stress rates occur for nurses with fewer than 5 years and between 5 and 10 years of experience (65% of respondents reported experiencing burnout). The lowest level of burnout was reported for respondents with over 50 years of experience (29%). A decrease in the number of nurses facing burnout correlates with an increase in experience:
| Level of burnout | Respondents not experiencing burnout | Respondents experiencing burnout |
| Less than 5 years | 35% | 65% |
| 5 to 10 years | 35% | 65% |
| 11 to 20 years | 37% | 63% |
| 21 to 30 years | 41% | 59% |
| 31 to 40 years | 49% | 51% |
| 41 to 50 years | 61% | 39% |
| Over 50 years | 71% | 29% |
It is worth noting that we cannot draw a direct relation between reduced burnout among nurses and acquiring more experience since the current statistics may fail to highlight the number of nurses abandoning the workplace due to ongoing stress.
What Influences Nurse Mental Health?
When tackling the current nurse mental health and burnout crisis, two types of factors need to be considered: those that result in higher rates of burnout and work dissatisfaction and those that discourage nurses and managers from tackling existing stressors.
The primary reported factors contributing to poor nurse mental health and increased burnout are:
- Insufficient staffing
- High patient loads
- Poor and difficult leadership
- Excessive time spent on administrative tasks
Additionally, although poor mental health and increased burnout have historically been an ongoing issue in the industry, the pandemic has exacerbated previous trends by putting additional strain on the industry and exposing nursing staff to health risks. Of the 57% of surveyed nurses who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, 11% have also suffered from post-COVID-19 conditions (PCC or long COVID).
Why Nurses’ Mental Health Issues Go Unaddressed?
Nurses’ mental health and nursing burnout is not only a pressing issue but also one that goes unaddressed at both personal and systemic levels. Despite the respondents facing burnout or symptoms associated with it making up the majority of the surveyed sample, two-thirds of respondents reported not receiving mental health support.
We can trace one key reason in perspectives around experiencing such issues in the workplace, with 56% of surveyed nurses believing that there is a stigma attached to mental health challenges.
Among the reasons for not seeking professional help, the most frequently cited one, both in general and for nurses with 10 or fewer years of experience, is a lack of time (29% of respondents). 23% of respondents reported feeling that they should be able to handle their mental health on their own, with another 10% citing the costs of professional help and a lack of financial resources.
Here are the main reasons for not seeking professional support for mental health among nurses:
- A lack of time – 29%
- “I feel I should be able to handle my own mental health” – 23%
- Lack of confidence in mental health treatment and care – 11%
- Costs or a lack of financial resources – 10%
- Overall lack of mental health support resources – 7%
- Not sure where to access support – 5%
- Afraid of not being understood by mental health providers – 5%
- Fear of job loss or retribution by the employer – 4%
- Confidentiality concerns about employee assistance program – 4%
- Concern about the respondent’s license – 4%
- Concern about colleagues finding out – 3%
- Employee assistance program is unavailable – 1%
- Other causes – 6%
Trends Related to the Nurse Mental Health Crisis
While poor nurse mental health rates are harmful and alarming in themselves, these tend to correlate with other detrimental trends in the industry.
Declining Turnover and Higher Quitting Rates
Increasing rates of stress and burnout significantly affect nursing turnover. Although it has decreased since its most recent post-pandemic peak in 2021, around 20% of nurses have reported changing nursing roles within 6 months, with 39% stating that they were likely to change their current positions in the following 6 months. Intent to leave was higher among direct care nursing roles (41%) than non-direct care ones (30%).
The most frequently cited reasons for quitting nursing were the feeling of not being valued within the organization, insufficient staffing, and poor compensation. Respondents with 10 years or less of experience prioritized inadequate staffing, which can single it out as the main challenge to the future stability of the nursing workforce.
Poor Health Among Nursing Staff
Most research indicates that increased rates of burnout and stress result in long-term health effects for nurses. Poor nurse mental health is a predictor of a wide range of illnesses, which can result not only in an adverse impact on nurses’ health but also in hiking personal, organizational, and societal costs since they negatively influence staff productivity, employee retention, presence at work, and career longevity.
Thus, there is a direct correlation between illnesses resulting from the poor provision of nurse mental health and well-being resources and the ongoing nursing shortage across the US.
What Can Be Done to Improve Mental Health for Nurses?
Hospital managers, stakeholders, and administrative bodies need to coordinate their efforts to address the current poor mental health rates of nurses and increased levels of burnout. The only way to mitigate the current crisis is to address the underlying issues that affect the nursing profession and provide essential mental health support to nurses who already need it.
1. Reducing the Main Factors of Burnout in the Nursing Field
Two of the main factors that seem to produce the context for poor mental health for nurses and discourage them from seeking help are high workload demands and administrative burdens. Over a third of survey respondents reported spending excessive time working on electronic health records during breaks or after shifts. At the same time, 45% identified this as a cause for greater frustration in their daily activities.
Reductions in these areas, coupled with an increase in resources, can lead to the first steps in changing the current trends. One way to reduce workload demands is to provide options for flexible work, such as shift lengths, start times, shift commitments, or virtual activities.
2. Changing the Day-To-Day Work Environment of Nurses
Research from the McKinsey Health Institute has shown that nurses’ daily work environment can substantially impact their mental health and well-being. However, approximately 40% of nurses reported that they regularly experienced a hectic and intense working experience and had poor control over their workloads.
There are multiple opportunities to address the structural aspects of nurses’ regular activities, such as identifying opportunities for delegating activities and using technology. However, tackling these issues without a more thorough approach to structural problems could potentially place the burden of addressing issues related to the mental health of nurses on the individuals most affected by them.
3. Providing the Right Mental Health Resources
When nurses experience burnout, they need to be made aware that trusted, evidence-based resources are available and accessible. Thus, investing in resources for the mental health of nurses should become a priority for all healthcare employers. For the best results and returns for both staff and employers, the available resources should span the continuum, ranging from mental healthcare for those experiencing symptoms of burnout to support for nurses’ well-being and tools for bolstering healthy behaviors and mitigating the sources of stress.
Essential resources for improving nurse mental health should include free or subsidized access to professional therapy and counseling in order to remove the time and financial barriers to accessing needed care. Additionally, employers and administrators should offer resources and training on mental health literacy, self-monitoring, and adaptability skills.
4. Improving the Knowledge of Mental Health Support
With 19% of surveyed nurses reporting a lack of knowledge and resources, fears of losing their jobs, or concern about their work peers discovering as reasons for not seeking mental health support, the establishment of support networks, providing forums, and introducing methods of peer-to-peer support become a must for employers.
One method of increasing trust and improving knowledge about support systems for nurses is to provide the right resources and information early in their formative journey. That is why the Nightingale Foundation, an organization focusing on empowering nursing students from underserved and underrepresented communities, is not only bolstering excellence in the field by providing financial aid but also offers education materials and the necessary guidance and support to prospective nursing students via the Community Education Outreach, from as early a stage as their post-highschool graduation. The Foundation proceeds with its actions with full acknowledgment of the challenges that come with the industry and tries to provide aspiring nurses with the support system they need early on.
5. Increasing Confidence in Mental Health Support for Nurses
While the majority of nurses fail to seek or receive professional help due to a lack of time, money, or professional resources, a concerning number of respondents either misinterpret their role and responsibility regarding their feelings of stress and burnout or otherwise lack confidence in available professional help.
Thus, any tackling of nurse mental health challenges needs to first provide nurses with access and the resources to pursue professional mental health support and secondly address the lack of knowledge, lack of confidence, distrust, and general stigma associated with the state of mental health of nurses. The stigma around mental health issues, including personal, public, and structural, represents an ongoing hurdle in addressing nurses’ mental health and can only be addressed via a holistic approach.
The critical steps towards mitigating the negative perspectives around receiving mental health care must include educational initiatives, leadership role modeling, and policies that address possible discriminatory behaviors.
Resources for Nurses and Mental Health Support
Although the current environment has much to improve, there are multiple resources and support systems for nurses who find themselves in need of care and counseling.
Efforts to mitigate the stress and risks of burnout associated with the nursing profession should start as early as possible and must address the need for resources – financial and educational – as well as the required guidance and support.
The Nightingale Foundation is an organization that aims to allow non-traditional students from underserved and underrepresented communities to access quality education without the associated costs and stress. More than the scholarships provided to promote experience in the field, the Foundation organizes the Community Education Outreach program, which offers prospective students the resources, support, and guidance necessary to join the nursing field successfully and promote a positive image of nurse mental health and wellness.
There are many other types of resources that you can access or help your peers with, all of which address concerns regarding the mental health of nurses:
1. Available Crisis Hotlines for Healthcare Workers
- 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – A national network providing free emotional support for people in crisis. Available 24/7 with consultation from national and international suicide prevention experts. Reachable by calling 988.
- Crisis Text Line – Volunteer crisis counselors available via texting HOME to 741741 when you aren’t able or willing to speak with someone directly. Helps with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, or suicide and provides services for free.
- For the Frontlines – Free crisis counseling via text for healthcare professionals to help deal with fear, isolation, anxiety, stress, and other challenging emotions. Accessible by texting FRONTLINE to 741741.
- Safe Call Now – A 24-hour crisis referral service for emergency services personnel. Established to ensure that no first responder faces a crisis alone, offering support and a safe place to turn. You can reach it by calling 206-459-3020.
2. Helplines for Healthcare Professionals
- SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline – A 24/7 national hotline providing free support to people who have experienced natural or human-caused disasters. Offers referrals to local crisis support centers. You can reach it by calling 1-800-985-5990.
- SAMHSA National Helpline – Free, confidential service in English and Spanish for people facing mental health or substance use challenges. Provides referrals to local treatment centers and support groups. It is reachable at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline – Free service that offers a range of resources for healthcare professionals facing symptoms of trauma or stress. Provides confidential support, peer support resources, and family support. Available by calling 1-800-950-6264, from Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 10 PM.
3. Therapy Services for Healthcare Workers
- Therapy Aid Coalition – Provides free or low-cost therapy options for healthcare professionals and first responders. Allows users to search for therapists by zip code, fee, and therapy setting. Developed and run by volunteers.
- The Emotional PPE Project – Offers free mental health services for healthcare workers without involving insurance. Maintains a directory of volunteer therapists, searchable by state, gender, and language.
- The Battle Within – Nonprofit offering a unique five-day program for first responders, medical personnel, and veterans. Includes six free, confidential sessions with a matched mental health provider. Located in 20 states and expanding.
4. Support Programs for Healthcare Professionals
- American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress – Provides support groups for medical providers and maintains a list of mental health professionals. Offers education and training for crisis management professionals. Partners with organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Costs can vary.
- NurseGroups – Volunteer-led initiative offering free-of-charge, confidential groups for nurses. Facilitated by experienced volunteers, these groups focus on mindfulness, emotional skill building, and stress reduction.
- Schwartz Center Mental Health Resources – Maintains a list of resources for healthcare workers’ mental health and well-being. Includes tools for preventing and managing stress, dealing with workplace violence, and supporting healthcare leaders and families. It is free but also has membership options.
5. Mental Health Tracking and Education Apps
- Happy – A proactive, peer-based mental health service for nursing professionals. Supported by the American Nurses Association, it offers frictionless access to mental health services through an app. Can be accessed by calling 833-327-0262 or by texting ANA to 858-367-3001.
- Heroes Health – Developed by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, this app tracks mental health and provides resources and counseling for nurses. Offers personalized outreach for mental health services.
- Moodfit – Provides tools, insights, and education to help nurses reduce stress and build resilience. Offers techniques such as breath work, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
6. Educational Resources for Nurses and Healthcare Personnel
- Osmosis (Nursing Resilience Course) – Interactive, online course designed to help nurses manage stress and burnout. Includes eight modules and offers 3.75 credits.
- American Holistic Nurses Association – Focuses on holistic self-care strategies for nurses. Offers online courses, live events, and toolkits for self-reflection and stress management. Resources are free, and they provide credits at affordable rates.
- Self-Care for Healthcare Workers – One-page program with exercises for breathing, meditation, stress relief, and yoga. Aims to reduce preventable harm by strengthening the safety culture and building skills in healthcare staff.
7. Organizational Initiatives by The American Nurses Association
- Well-Being Initiative – Offers multimodal resources focusing on nurse well-being. Accessible to all U.S. nurses anonymously and at any time.
- Stress and Burnout Prevention Pilot Program – Uses the “Stress First Aid” model to address nurse burnout and manage stress. Aims to normalize discussions about stress and provide intervention resources.
Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) – Supports nurses in physical activity, rest, nutrition, quality of life, safety, and mental health. Provides an online platform for inspiration, competition, and connection with other nurses.