NURSES ARE QUITTING ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE OF COVID-19 BURNOUT

When someone is admitted to the hospital, their family is usually right by their side, constantly checking up on them and their well-being. With the COVID-19 pandemic, this policy was no longer permitted. The only ones allowed in the hospital rooms were patients, nurses, and doctors. With family visiting no longer allowed, the job of uplifting patients relies mainly on the nurses. 

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Nurses’ lives are endangered by this disease, and even worse at times, their mental health is also greatly impacted. As a result of constantly seeing patients die, not having much hope for the future with COVID, and recent increases in COVID-19 cases, 66 percent of nurses have considered quitting their job. That means two in every three nurses have contemplated quitting. 

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On top of dealing with mental health struggles, nurses are now struggling with COVID-19 burnout. With rises in COVID cases, nurses always have to be accessible, and therefore need to work more. It has become more challenging for nurses to work more while they’re facing their own struggles. Though the increased demand from nurses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is very difficult for nurses, it is even more alarming that their nursing education hasn’t prepared them to handle the stress and chaos brought about by COVID-19.

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Hospitals are in need of more nurses. With more and more nurses leaving, there has been an increased amount of problems. What will hospitals do without nurses? Who will be there to support and assist patients? If the nurses are struggling to combat the challenges brought on by the pandemic, how will we fare? 

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To add to problems nurses are facing, nurses still face the threat of contracting COVID-19. Nurses are terrified of catching COVID-19 themselves, and possibly spreading it to family members. Nurses are especially alarmed by the new COVID variants, since, as a result of particular new COVID variants, there will be more COVID cases. Increased COVID cases will lead to hospitals overpopulating with patients, ultimately causing nurses to be more at risk.

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Additionally, hospitals aren’t prepared for the increasing cases of COVID. Due to national shortages, nurses and doctors don’t have enough protective equipment. If doctors and nurses can hardly protect themselves from the pandemic, how are they supposed to care for patients? 

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Due to the increased demand for health care workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have been expected to pick up more shifts. Nurses have been working overtime because of the extreme circumstances brought about by the pandemic; many have been experiencing burnout, and, as a result, quitting. Hospitals, in turn, have become understaffed, which further adds to the many problems our nation is currently facing. 

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Works Cited:

Kalter, Lindsay. “Survey: 2/3 of Critical Care Nurses Consider Quitting Due to Covid-19.” WebMD, WebMD, 20 Sept. 2021, https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210920/survey-critical-care-nurses-consider-quitting-due-covid

Peralta, Paola. “Too Little, Too Late: 500K Nurses Are Leaving the Bedside by the End of 2022.” Employee Benefit News, Employee Benefit News, 9 Dec. 2021, https://www.benefitnews.com/news/nurses-are-planning-to-quit-their-jobs-if-their-needs-arent-met-post-pandemic