Introduction
I agree with you that one of the most frequently reported problems in the nursing profession is occupational stress which has both direct and indirect impacts on patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency. Nursing is a very demanding profession that exposes nurses to stressful situations. Nurses face physical and psychological challenges while helping people who are suffering from life-threatening diseases.
Discussion
Continuous exposure to stressors in the workplace increases the likelihood of nurses experiencing burnout (Shah et al., 2021). Nurses who are stressed in their work environment have higher absenteeism rates and reduced work satisfaction which enhances the risk of increased turnover. Nurses who are stressed in their workplace experience mental and physical conditions that affect productivity, workability, and psychosocial health. Stress in the workplace contributes to reduced quality of service which leads to low patient satisfaction and turnover. Severe workplace stress also increased the likelihood of nurses suffering from anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and obesity.
Nurses who experience severe stressors in the workplace are more likely to suffer from burnout than those who do not. Nurse burnout depends on the amount of time spent with patients, increased workload, and minimal support. Burnout is considered to be a response to different interpersonal stressors within one’s work environment. An individual who is experiencing burnout complains of physical fatigue, being emotionally exhausted, and a state of cognitive weariness. Nurse burnout also contributes to a reduced sense of personal accomplishment which affects overall performance.
Conclusion
Nurse burnout results from demanding workloads and a work environment characterized by poor staffing, minimal communication with physicians, and a lack of effective institutional leadership. The high rate of occupational stress and burnout among nurses indicates a great need for intervention in the healthcare sector to improve working conditions.
Reference
Shah, M. K., Gandrakota, N., Cimiotti, J. P., Ghose, N., Moore, M., & Ali, M. K. (2021). Prevalence of and factors associated with nurse burnout in the US. JAMA network open, 4(2), Web.