Today, nurse practitioners are expected to take on more responsibilities than ever before. The modern healthcare system pushes NPs to see more patients—sicker ones—in shorter amounts of time, perfectly adhere to insurance guidelines, and fill in the administrative gaps created by short-staffing. The result? Nurse burnout among NPs, many of whom are now ready to leave healthcare behind. Today, we’ll discuss the facts about this type of burnout: how many nurse practitioners struggle with it, how to detect it, and how to reduce stress.

Nurse Burnout Statistics

While most people think of RNs when discussing nurse burnout, it also happens to nurse practitioners. Research from Medscape paints a solemn picture of NP life in America. Their survey of over 2,000 nurse practitioners returned the following results:

• 60% of NPs report feeling burned out
• 62% have felt that way for at least a year
• 20% have dealt with burnout for more than two years
• 30% report nurse burnout with co-occurring depression

When asked about causal factors, the NPs’ answers varied. Most pointed to excessive bureaucratic tasks, low compensation, lack of respect from coworkers and patients, and long hours. The pandemic played a key role for many of them, magnifying issues already plaguing an overstressed workforce.

Nurse burnout has real consequences: according to the study, almost a third of nurse practitioners have considered leaving the healthcare field entirely. To begin addressing this systemic issue, NPs must recognize the signs of nurse burnout before they worsen.

Nurse Burnout Symptoms

These providers have busy schedules packed with patients, and if not properly managed, they may begin struggling with the below symptoms. It’s important to note that the signs of burnout are indicative of a larger problem, and NPs should not be judged for experiencing them. Nurse practitioners dealing with these symptoms should receive support and encouragement from their supervisors, loved ones, and colleagues.

• Compassion fatigue: Limited emotional capacity for patients, lack of empathy
• Exhaustion: Insomnia, hypersomnia, persistent tiredness that isn’t improved by sleep
• Physical symptoms: Rapid weight loss or gain, appetite changes, increased vulnerability to illness, unexplained aches and pains
• Low self-esteem: Self-doubt, a lack of inspiration or drive, depression, anxiety, feelings of powerlessness
• Cynicism: Feelings of ineffectiveness or uncertainty about whether the work matters, resentment of other providers or patients, sudden irritability or anger
• Reduced quality of care: Procrastination, changes in bedside manner, increased incidence of poor judgment calls, more absences at work, lower levels of patient satisfaction

Stress Management & Burnout Prevention

Fortunately, nurse burnout is both preventable and treatable. The Medscape study above analyzed steps that NPs had taken to reduce their stress levels. Many tried mindfulness exercises, cut back on work hours, requested staff changes to ease their workload, spoke to administration about the pressure they felt, or sought help from their employer.

When asked, the nurse practitioners surveyed offered organization-wide solutions, including:

• Increased compensation to avoid financial stress
• Respect from their colleagues and employers
• More support staff to handle admin duties
• Lighter patient loads

Finally, 25% of respondents advocated for a career change to prevent burnout. For nurse practitioners searching for a new job with the benefits described above, the obvious choice is to accept a role with Warrior Vets Medical Services.

Change Your Life With Warrior Vets

The Warrior Vets team provides medical and psychological examinations to veterans across the country. We’re revolutionizing the way NPs practice medicine. Our approach addresses the concerns above—our back office handles all admin duties and insurance issues, we offer competitive pay rates, and our nurse practitioners enjoy lighter schedules that meet their needs.

Above all else, we have a deep respect for the NPs, PAs, and other providers on our team. All of us are united by a common purpose. Together, we can transform the lives of veterans nationwide. Are you tired of saying, “I hate being a nurse practitioner”? We can help. Browse our current openings or contact us for more information. We look forward to speaking with you.