Why graduate nurses are burning out

Health researchers are calling for urgent action to improve support for nurses working in Australia’s health system, with emotional burnout in the first year of practice identified as a key driver of early attrition in the sector.

James Cook University PhD candidate Kate Hurley, a lecturer in nursing, led the study. She said the global nursing shortage continues to be a concern, with Australia alone expected to be short about 80,000 Registered Nurses (RNs) by 2035.

“About 15,000 graduate registered nurses enter the Australian workforce each year, but many do not continue in the role long-term. Graduate RNs often find themselves working in challenging conditions with high occupational stress, which we know leads to increased burnout, mental exhaustion and fatigue,” Ms Hurley said.

The research team analysed six major studies conducted over the past two decades to better understand why these conditions persist.

“Three consistent themes emerged as contributors to emotional burnout: unsupportive workplaces, role stress and unrealistic workload expectations.

“Research included in the review described environments lacking support and constructive feedback, unclear role boundaries and responsibilities, and staffing or task loads that, at times, exceeded what could reasonably be expected of new graduates,” she said.

Ms Hurley said that without targeted interventions to improve workplace culture, clarify roles and address staffing pressures, emotional burnout and early departure from the profession are likely to continue, further straining an already stretched health workforce.

“Strengthening transitional support for graduate nurses through structured orientation, accessible supervision and manageable workloads is essential to providing workplaces where graduate nurses feel supported, which will likely influence retention.”

She said as Australia’s health system evolves and demands on clinicians rise, understanding and addressing the specific challenges faced by graduate registered nurses in their first year is vital.

“We have clear evidence of a continuing problem that shows things cannot continue as they are.

“Policymakers, educators and health services must collaborate, now, to review safe staffing levels and provide the support graduate nurses need to secure workforce sustainability.”

Link to paper here.