Plus Workforce Strategies at the Facility Level to Ease Stress and Guard Against Burnout
Stress is a part of life, and for many, work is one of the biggest contributors. In fact, in a 2024 survey, over seventy percent of employees surveyed said work-related mental health struggles were affecting their performance on the job.Workplace stress is widespread, but for healthcare professionals, especially nurses, levels can be very high. According to a recent study, over sixty percent of nurses say they experience significant levels of stress and burnout in the workplace. In a different study, ninety-one percent of nurses reported moderate to high levels of burnout. Long hours, challenging and combative patients, emotional and physical strain, and lack of proper support due to persistent understaffing are just a few of the many factors contributing to nurse stress.
Tips for Nurses to Reduce Stress on Their Shift
The following tips are guidelines for healthcare professionals, especially nurses, to help manage workplace stress:
1. Take micro-breaks. After each task, spend 30 to 60 seconds to reset. You can roll your shoulders, breathe deeply, or close your eyes. Studies show that these short breaks between tasks help reduce stress buildup during your day.
2. Set boundaries. A nurse’s role includes providing compassionate, ethical care, but saying no is also important. Politely and firmly declining non-urgent interruptions can reduce stress and prevent cognitive overload.
3. Show gratitude. When you express appreciation to others, you often receive it back. A thank you from colleagues can go a long way, especially if you’re a nurse manager. An industry survey showed that over seventy percent of nurses said a lack of appreciation is a top cause of burnout. Small gestures like gift cards, a cup of coffee, or verbal recognition can make a big difference.
4. Stress Relievers. Keep a calming object nearby for moments when you feel overwhelmed. Stress balls, aromatherapy oils, or even just looking at an uplifting photo on your phone can help you manage high-pressure situations and regulate your emotions.
5. Leverage team meetings. Use time before shifts or during breaks to gather with team members and share priorities, ask for help, or reassign tasks as needed. If your team lead doesn’t hold shift huddles, consider starting one yourself. Feeling part of a community with shared goals helps reduce stress.
6. Tune out the noise. Whenever possible, focus on one task and give it your full attention, rather than juggling multiple tasks at once. Focused work reduces mental strain and errors. If you need teammates’ help, don’t be afraid to ask for it.
7. Hydrate Calmly. Caffeine is a powerful energizer, but it can cause a jittery kind of stress. Replace one coffee or energy drink each day with flavored water or soothing herbal tea. Keep hydrated, eat well, and take care of your body so you can better process stress.
Tips for Facilities to Reduce Stress and Burnout for Nurses
The Organizational Roots of Nurse Stress
It’s clear that stress impacts nurses, but how does workplace management contribute to stress? It turns out that a stressful work environment isn’t just emotionally exhausting; it also causes nurses to consider leaving their jobs and compromises patient safety. According to nurse turnover studies, over sixty percent of those who left cited a stressful environment, with most citing inadequate staffing as a key reason. Patient safety is also at risk. Studies show job stress directly harms safety culture, increases errors, and reduces the quality of patient care.Workflow Solutions That Help Configure a Less Stressful Work Environment
Creating a calmer, more efficient healthcare workplace begins with rethinking workflows. Even small changes in how tasks and staffing are organized, performed, and managed can significantly impact a nursing shift. For example:Optimize staffing and scheduling. Stress often comes from sudden workload spikes and unpredictable shifts. When administrators and schedulers use tools like acuity-based staffing and predictive scheduling dashboards to lessen these imbalances, teams can manage workloads better. Adding per diem nurses into float pools and scheduling gives facilities even greater flexibility to cover peak times or last-minute absences. These efforts significantly reduce burnout among full-time staff.
Enhance communication and team culture. When nurses feel excluded or unheard, stress can quickly escalate. Using strategies like regular safety huddles, interdisciplinary rounding, and open forums helps nurses communicate more effectively and creates space for open dialogue and problem-solving. Involving front-line staff in workflow redesign not only improves processes but also builds trust, strengthens teamwork, and supports a healthier work environment.
Incorporate programs to boost resilience. Relaxation alone isn’t sufficient, but structured resilience practices can make a real difference when integrated into daily routines. Short mindfulness exercises, peer-led check-ins, and quick emotional debriefs after difficult shifts can help nurses recharge and support each other without diverting from patient care. For example, Ohio State’s Mindfulness in Motion program resulted in a significant decrease in burnout among participants by embedding brief, evidence-based practices into daily routines.
Identify overworked, high-performing nurses. High-performing nurses can sometimes be the first to experience burnout. Visible, engaged leadership can help. Simple actions like acknowledging team achievements, celebrating patient care milestones, and providing mentorship opportunities can enhance workplace culture. When nurses see that they are valued and respected, they feel more connected to the organization’s mission, job satisfaction rises, and turnover decreases.
Build a Workplace That Works for Nurses
Reducing nurse stress requires more than just self-care; it calls for organizational change. Health systems and hospitals can decrease employee stress levels and lessen the impact of chronic understaffing with innovative staffing models. They must also foster a supportive culture and implement resilience programs integrated into daily practice. Lasting solutions for combating stress and burnout are dependent upon leadership that prioritizes well-being just as much as performance. When nurses feel valued and supported, both patient outcomes and organizational stress improve.
Leah Moss
VMS Operations
