A survey by the University of Michigan School of Nursing in Ann Arbor indicates 94 percent of Michigan nurses report emotional exhaustion, with younger nurses significantly more likely to report burnout than colleagues over 45.
“I’ve been studying nurse burnout for 20 years and these are among the highest numbers I’ve seen,” says Christopher Friese, principal investigator, and professor of nursing and public health at U-M.
The study examined three outcomes among nurses: emotional exhaustion, a key component of burnout; thoughts of self-harm and overall wellness; and identified interventions.
“Findings from this study are a call to action to generate evidence-based system-level interventions to promote nurses’ health, address emotional exhaustion, and promote well-being of the nursing workforce,” says Marita Titler, lead author of the study and professor emerita of nursing at U-M.
The study’s data were collected from the Michigan Nurses’ Survey in 2022. Among its findings:
- Inadequate staffing, lower psychological safety in the workplace, and younger age were associated with emotional exhaustion.
- Physical abuse in the workplace was associated with thoughts of self-harm.
- Employer support, favorable practice environments, higher job satisfaction, and positive coping strategies were associated with higher wellness scores.
- When nurses reported their workplace staffing and resources were adequate, they were 18 percent less likely to be burned out.
- About 10 percent of nurses reported thoughts of self-harm.
- Nurses who engaged in hobbies and spent time with family and friends had better outcomes, whereas those who slept more or watched TV did not.