“Nursing is a calling,” says Jessica Sullivan, medical case manager for clinical operations at The Hartford and former emergency room nurse. Her time as a patient-facing nurse is part of her personality and identity, and it always will be.
She paints a picture of extreme highs and lows during her time in the emergency room. In one day, she could save a life, deliver a baby and grieve the loss of a patient. But the challenges and complexities that came with the job were an accepted part of the deal.
“As a nurse, I’ve always said yes to everything,” she says. “I don’t care where you come from or what you’ve been through. No matter what, when I see a person who needs my help, I take care of them.”
Though nursing was her calling, Sullivan eventually left the day-to-day rigors of patient care. And while the nursing profession has high rates of turnover, employers can increase retention by listening to what their employees need and making meaningful changes.1
The Challenges of Nursing
Burnout and mental health challenges have been widely documented among patient-facing health care workers, particularly nurses. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration’s 2023 State of the U.S. Health Care Workforce report, the high levels of stress and burnout have led many health care workers to question their job choice. The report cites that 41% of nurses intended to leave their job in the next two years. It's a compounding issue: mass turnover leads to more burnout and stress for remaining health care professionals.2
Jamie Lawrence, another medical case manager for clinical operations at The Hartford, is also a former patient-facing nurse. She describes a change in the way patients treated her and spoke to her throughout her time working in the hospital, which impacted her willingness to stay.
“There is sometimes a lack of respect from patients, and it’s so hard because you’re just trying to help the person. There were multiple instances at the end of my time as a hospital nurse when I really had to think long and hard about making a change.”
Both women said the nature of the work combined with the altruistic, perfectionist personalities of most nurses, results in a challenging dynamic. Between being unable to take time away after difficult shifts, dealing with disrespectful patients, and navigating the emotional highs and lows, they felt they needed more support to keep doing the job.
What Can Employers Do To Help?
Addressing the mental health crisis at the front lines of our health care system may seem like an impossible problem, but employers have the power to support their employees.
Both Sullivan and Lawrence recalled support efforts from their employers during the most challenging time in their nursing careers. They said it’s crucial to make sure those efforts are sustainable and take the actual needs of nurses into account.
At the lowest level of investment, smart staffing (like utilizing travel nurses or temporary hires) can give overworked employees a much-needed break. But that’s just one of a few tools employers have to help their patient-facing health care professionals.
Assess the Benefits You Already Offer
State and federal regulations are constantly evolving, so it’s wise to work with a benefits coordinator to make sure that disability, absence and EAP programs are compliant and meet the needs of employees.
“Based on what we’re hearing from health care workers, they’re incredibly appreciative when their employers implement a benefit plan that offers things like employee assistance programs (EAP) or salary replacement that doesn’t cut into their paid time off,” says Mandy Phillips, assistant director of health care product management at The Hartford.
Make Mental Health Treatment and Support Readily Available
Prevention is key when it comes to keeping health care employees healthy, happy and productive. By intervening with proactive treatment options, employers can ensure their employees have access to the resources they need before stress and burnout become overwhelming. But making treatments and therapies accessible can be a challenge for employers. Companies may not know which therapy options are available or how to encourage their employees to utilize them. And employees may not trust that what they say will be kept confidential.
Some organizations choose to have internal mental health treatment options, so their employees can access help right in the workplace. However, some employees may not feel comfortable seeking mental health support at work.
Health care employers can work with vendors that offer tailored mental health support to their employees without compromising individual confidentiality. These providers can also keep track of workplace trends and report them back to employers while maintaining anonymity for employees.
“Finding a vendor that can give you useful information while maintaining employee confidentiality not only helps you understand what’s happening in your organization, but it helps create a culture of wellness,” says Phillips.
Health care professionals are some of the most important workers in our communities. It’s incumbent on employers to support their mental wellness as best they can. Putting the right support systems in place, whether through adjusting shift structures or working with a trusted benefit vendor, is a worthwhile investment.
Más información sobre supporting the careers of health care professionals.
1 Understanding and Prioritizing Nurses’ Mental Health and Wellbeing. McKinsey. Viewed 2024.
2 State of the U.S. Health Care Workforce, 2023. Health Resources and Services Administration. Viewed 2024.
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