Nurses are quitting due to overwhelming burnout, emotional exhaustion, and stress from short-staffing, leading to heavy workloads, unsafe conditions, and feeling undervalued, especially amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Other major factors include poor leadership, lack of career growth, inadequate pay, conflicts with family responsibilities, and general disillusionment with a demanding work environment that prioritizes profits over patient/staff well-being.
Nearly 18% of newly licensed registered nurses quit the profession within the first year. Like with more advanced nurses, common causes for leaving include stressful working conditions, lack of leadership and supervision, and understaffed facilities.
Ahpra's Workforce Retention and Attrition Project found the top five reasons influencing practitioners to leave their profession included mental burnout, retirement, feeling undervalued/unrecognised, lack of professional satisfaction, and work no longer being fulfilling.
Nursing Issue #1: Inadequate Staff
Focusing on value-based and holistic patient-centered care requires a larger, more diverse, and highly educated nursing workforce. But maintaining adequate staffing remains an ongoing issue.
The " nurse syndrome" is often invoked in the field of private relationships, to refer to women (mainly) who tend to invest in intimate relationships with people in pain whom they find themselves taking care of, at the risk of permanently establishing an imbalance in the couple, or even toxic relationships.
According to one study, ICU nurses are more susceptible to professional stress and burnout, which negatively impact their physical and mental health. Since the ICU is often the last resort for patients in critical condition, ICU nurses face a blend of medical emergencies daily while on the job.
Nurses often work long hours performing tasks that are both physically and emotionally demanding. What's more, the work nurses perform can have important and even life-or-death consequences for patients, significantly adding to workplace stress.
Essential components of hourly rounding, often referred to as the “5 P's”, include assessing pain, restroom needs, proximity of possessions, patient position, and safety of environment for patients every hour during waking hours (Brosey & March, 2015).
Nursing is one of the most rewarding and challenging professions in health care. During a 12-hour shift, nurses may take on a demanding workload due to staffing shortages; endure workplace bullying; risk exposure to infection; and, despite all their professional experience, still lose patients.
Enrolled nurse shifts and positions also continue not being replaced. The reported number of care minutes for enrolled nurses is decreasing, reflecting the very real and adverse impact of some providers.” The results of the survey clearly highlight that staff view the role of ENs in aged care as critically important.
Top 10 Happiest Nursing Jobs
Which professions face the highest burnout rates? Healthcare, project management and technology roles currently report the highest burnout rates across Australia.
Recognize – Watch for the warning signs of burnout. Reverse – Undo the damage by seeking support and managing stress. Resilience – Build your resilience to stress by taking care of your physical and emotional health (i.e. physical activity, proper nutrition, stress management and good sleep habits)
Emergency department nurses tend to experience the highest rates of burnout. A study published in the Psychology, Health, and Medicine Journal noted that ED nurses feel that they have the least control in their job among nurses in different specialties, which may also influence their high burnout rates.
Reasons to Consider Quitting Nursing
Many nurses have experienced verbal abuse from patients and dont feel safe anymore at work. All of these factors can lead to nurse burnout and unhappy nurses.
The most stressful nursing jobs include ICU nurse, ER nurse, and NICU nurse. In these roles, nurses work in an intense environment with high stakes. They manage emergency situations and care for critically ill patients.
According to a 2025 survey of 3,128 nursing leaders, the top challenge facing the nursing profession is staff recruitment and retention. The current shortage began in 2012 and is expected to continue to at least 2030.
Some common weaknesses in nurses include: excessive focus on paperwork and getting every detail correct. failing to connect with patients, and not building a strong rapport. attempting to multitask and taking on too many different challenges at one time.
One study found a significant correlation between conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, neuroticism, and the personal responsibility of nurses, emphasizing the crucial role of nurses' personalities in personal responsibility. Considering this during nursing staff selection may have practical implications.
The patients have to be able to recite the answers to the “Five Ds of Discharge:” Diagnosis, Drugs, Doctor, Directions and Diet. “The patients need to answer all the questions,” said Tracy Stowe, R.N., B.S.N., manager, discharge lounge, clinical decision unit and float pool.
Nurses working in a hospital setting are often required to complete hourly rounding, which is the practice of checking in on all patients under your care at least once every hour.
Nurses lead for those with the most burnout risk, with an estimated 6.9% burnout likelihood. This role is followed closely by ER physicians at 6.6% and primary-care doctors at 6.2% odds. Child and family social workers come in at 6.0%, while teachers and EMTs round out the top five with odds between 5.4–5.6%.
Examples of low-stress nursing positions include school nurse, nurse researcher, case management nurse, and more. Work-life balance benefits—such as no night shifts, weekends, or holidays—are a major factor in what makes these jobs less stressful compared to hospital bedside roles.
Strategies to Combat Nurse Burnout