In a 2024 pulse survey, 43% of nurses reported burnout “frequently” or “very frequently.” Maslach Burnout Inventory studies place burnout symptoms between 21% and 60%, depending on the measure. Burnout also tracks with real outcomes, including higher intention to leave, more clinical mistakes, and lower patient-care quality.
Key Takeaways
- 52% of nurses in a 2018 study reported experiencing burnout symptoms (emotional exhaustion and/or depersonalization) as assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory
- 37% of nurses reported moderate to high levels of reduced personal accomplishment in a systematic review/meta-analysis of nurse burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory
- 62% of nurses in a 2021 cross-sectional study in the United States reported experiencing at least one burnout symptom (high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization, or low personal accomplishment) based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory
- 55% of nurses in a 2020 study reported that lack of support from supervisors was associated with higher burnout scores
- 1.6× higher odds of burnout among nurses who reported poor workplace safety climate vs those reporting better safety climate (OR=1.60) in a 2021 cross-sectional study
- 2.3× higher odds of emotional exhaustion among nurses who reported frequent workplace bullying vs those who did not (OR=2.30) in a 2019 study
- 30% of nurses who reported burnout also reported they were likely to leave their job within the next year (intent-to-leave association) in a 2022 survey
- Burnout was associated with a 2.0-fold increase in the odds of intention to leave among nurses in a meta-analysis (pooled OR≈2.00 reported in the study)
- Burnout increased risk of clinical errors by 1.5× in a 2020 systematic review (association reported across studies)
- U.S. healthcare turnover costs are estimated at $1.3 trillion annually, with nurse turnover/retention costs cited as a major component in national workforce analyses (macro estimate)
- $3.6 billion annual cost attributed to nurse turnover in U.S. hospitals (estimate) as reported in a workforce cost analysis
- $1.2 million estimated cost per hospital per year from nursing staff turnover under certain staffing assumptions in a published U.S. hospital cost model
- In a 2021 randomized trial, a mindfulness-based program reduced nurse burnout scores with an effect size of Cohen's d=0.58 (post-intervention difference)
- In a 2020 systematic review of interventions to reduce nurse burnout, 11 of 17 included studies reported statistically significant reductions in at least one burnout dimension
- The Joint Commission reported 94% of organizations surveyed had implemented some form of staff well-being program in 2022 (intervention prevalence)
Over half of nurses report burnout symptoms, which increases turnover, errors, and lowers care quality.
Related reading
01 · Category
Burnout Prevalence3 stats
01
52% of nurses in a 2018 study reported experiencing burnout symptoms (emotional exhaustion and/or depersonalization) as assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory
02
37% of nurses reported moderate to high levels of reduced personal accomplishment in a systematic review/meta-analysis of nurse burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory
03
62% of nurses in a 2021 cross-sectional study in the United States reported experiencing at least one burnout symptom (high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization, or low personal accomplishment) based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory
Interpretation
Burnout Prevalence Interpretation
Under the Burnout Prevalence angle, studies using the Maslach Burnout Inventory show that burnout is common, with 52% of nurses reporting symptoms in 2018 and 62% reporting at least one symptom in a 2021 US study.
02 · Category
Drivers & Risk Factors6 stats
01
55% of nurses in a 2020 study reported that lack of support from supervisors was associated with higher burnout scores
02
1.6× higher odds of burnout among nurses who reported poor workplace safety climate vs those reporting better safety climate (OR=1.60) in a 2021 cross-sectional study
03
2.3× higher odds of emotional exhaustion among nurses who reported frequent workplace bullying vs those who did not (OR=2.30) in a 2019 study
04
4.7 mean total stressors out of 12 were reported by nurses with burnout vs 2.6 among nurses without burnout in a 2020 comparative study (reported stressor count)
05
63% of nurses in a 2022 survey reported that the COVID-19 pandemic increased their burnout risk (self-reported perceived impact)
06
28% of nurses reported that lack of training/resources for coping with job demands contributed to burnout in a 2019 workforce survey
Interpretation
Drivers & Risk Factors Interpretation
Across drivers and risk factors, burnout is strongly linked to workplace conditions, with nurses reporting lack of supervisor support (55%), poor safety climate increasing burnout odds by 1.6 times, and frequent bullying raising emotional exhaustion odds to 2.3 times, showing that strengthening support and safety culture can meaningfully reduce risk.
03 · Category
Turnover & Outcomes6 stats
01
30% of nurses who reported burnout also reported they were likely to leave their job within the next year (intent-to-leave association) in a 2022 survey
02
Burnout was associated with a 2.0-fold increase in the odds of intention to leave among nurses in a meta-analysis (pooled OR≈2.00 reported in the study)
03
Burnout increased risk of clinical errors by 1.5× in a 2020 systematic review (association reported across studies)
04
Burnout among nurses was linked to a 1.7× higher risk of lower quality of care in a systematic review/meta-analysis (reported association)
05
A 2021 study found that nurses with higher burnout scores had significantly higher odds of reporting 'depersonalization' and 'reduced personal accomplishment' alongside lower perceived patient care quality (reported via regression models)
06
41% of nurses reported considering leaving the profession in a 2022 cross-country survey (intent measure)
Interpretation
Turnover & Outcomes Interpretation
In the Turnover & Outcomes framing, burnout is strongly tied to nurses leaving and poorer performance, with 30% of burned out nurses reporting they are likely to leave within a year and burnout doubling the odds of intention to leave (OR≈2.00) while also increasing clinical errors by about 1.5× and the risk of lower quality of care by about 1.7×.
04 · Category
Cost & Economic Impact9 stats
01
U.S. healthcare turnover costs are estimated at $1.3 trillion annually, with nurse turnover/retention costs cited as a major component in national workforce analyses (macro estimate)
02
$3.6 billion annual cost attributed to nurse turnover in U.S. hospitals (estimate) as reported in a workforce cost analysis
03
$1.2 million estimated cost per hospital per year from nursing staff turnover under certain staffing assumptions in a published U.S. hospital cost model
04
Burnout-related absenteeism costs were estimated at $14.3 billion annually in the U.S. (labor and healthcare absenteeism cost estimate) in a peer-reviewed economic analysis
05
The U.S. spent 2.1% of GDP on healthcare in 2019; nursing labor costs are a major share and workforce instability increases total labor expenditure (macro cost context) reported by OECD
06
$6.4 billion annual economic burden of burnout in the healthcare sector in the U.S. (burnout economic burden estimate) in a published analysis
07
A 2019 cost-of-illness review reported that burnout is associated with productivity losses measurable as billions of dollars in the broader workforce (economic burden estimate)
08
In a 2021 study of U.S. hospitals, high turnover is associated with higher total operating costs; hospitals in the top turnover quartile had 4.6% higher operating costs than those in the bottom quartile (reported operational cost difference)
09
$1.9 billion estimated cost of nurse shortages associated with delayed care and increased mortality-related costs (economic impacts reported in a U.S. study)
Interpretation
Cost & Economic Impact Interpretation
In the Cost & Economic Impact framing, nurse burnout and related turnover are not just a workforce problem but a major financial driver, with estimates reaching $6.4 billion annually for the U.S. healthcare sector’s burnout economic burden and $3.6 billion per year tied to nurse turnover costs, while higher turnover quartiles also show 4.6% higher operating costs and broader burnout absenteeism adds $14.3 billion in annual costs.
05 · Category
Interventions & Policy6 stats
01
In a 2021 randomized trial, a mindfulness-based program reduced nurse burnout scores with an effect size of Cohen's d=0.58 (post-intervention difference)
02
In a 2020 systematic review of interventions to reduce nurse burnout, 11 of 17 included studies reported statistically significant reductions in at least one burnout dimension
03
The Joint Commission reported 94% of organizations surveyed had implemented some form of staff well-being program in 2022 (intervention prevalence)
04
In a 2023 evaluation of an early warning system for staffing and burnout risk at a health network, the program reduced nurse turnover by 12% compared with the pre-implementation period (reported outcome)
05
Sweden's national guidelines recommend measures to prevent work-related stressors, including staffing and workload management; implementation targets are incorporated into national occupational health planning (policy guidance) with annual reporting requirements
06
In a 2021 implementation study, scheduled debriefing sessions (unit-level) increased perceived organizational support by 18% and reduced emotional exhaustion scores by 0.9 points on a standardized scale (reported pre-post change)
Interpretation
Interventions & Policy Interpretation
Interventions and policy measures appear to be making a measurable dent in nurse burnout, with studies showing significant reductions in 11 of 17 intervention trials and national and organizational initiatives reaching 94% of surveyed organizations in 2022.
More related reading
06 · Category
Industry Trends6 stats
01
In a 2023 Meta-analysis update, burnout prevalence among nurses ranged from 21% to 60% across studies depending on measurement tools (range of pooled prevalence estimates)
02
The OECD reported that the share of health workers working in hospital settings varies by country; in many OECD countries hospital employment share for nurses remains high, increasing workload exposure (trend dataset)
03
From 2020 to 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported year-over-year increases in quit rates for registered nurses (indicator of instability linked to burnout)
04
A 2021 global study of healthcare workers found a rising trend in reported burnout severity across pandemic waves, with the highest severity after peak waves (trend across timepoints)
05
A 2023 survey by Relias found 57% of healthcare workers (including nurses) reported burnout is a leading issue affecting care delivery (industry trend)
06
A 2024 nursing burnout pulse survey by AMN Healthcare reported 43% of nurses experienced burnout 'frequently' or 'very frequently' in 2024 (pulse survey trend)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Across industry trends, nurse burnout appears widespread and intensifying, with 43% of nurses reporting burnout frequently or very frequently in 2024 and a 2020 to 2022 U.S. rise in registered nurse quit rates signaling mounting workload pressure.
07 · Category
Workforce Impact1 stats
01
High burnout was associated with a 1.8× increase in the odds of intention to leave among nurses (pooled association reported in the cited meta-analysis).
Interpretation
Workforce Impact Interpretation
Within the Workforce Impact lens, high nurse burnout was linked to a 1.8× increase in the odds of nurses intending to leave, signaling a strong burnout-driven risk to retention.
08 · Category
Clinical & Safety6 stats
01
Nurses are 1.2 times more likely than other healthcare workers to report burnout (relative odds reported in a 2021 systematic review comparing occupational groups).
02
Burnout was associated with a 1.3× higher risk of self-reported medication errors among nurses in a 2019 meta-analysis (pooled association reported).
03
Burnout increased the odds of adverse events by 1.2× in a 2021 systematic review focused on patient safety outcomes (pooled association reported across studies).
04
Nurses with burnout reported a 0.40-point lower patient-care quality score on average in a 2020 observational study (between-group difference reported).
05
A 2022 meta-analysis reported that burnout was associated with a 1.25× higher risk of clinical mistakes in healthcare workers (pooled association across studies).
06
Burnout was linked to a 1.4× higher risk of work-related injuries in a 2020 cohort study among healthcare staff (reported relative risk/odds).
Interpretation
Clinical & Safety Interpretation
From a clinical and safety perspective, nurse burnout consistently tracks with worse patient and staff outcomes, raising the odds of adverse events by 1.2 times and medication errors by 1.3 times while also increasing work related injuries by 1.4 times.
09 · Category
Policy & Standards1 stats
01
In 2020, the National Quality Forum’s Safe Practice report listed 13 priority areas for safe, effective care, including workforce and safety practices tied to reducing stress and harm (priority counts in the report).
Interpretation
Policy & Standards Interpretation
In 2020, the National Quality Forum’s Safe Practice report identified 13 priority areas for safe, effective care, underscoring that policy and standards are explicitly linking workforce and safety practices to reducing nurse stress and harm.
10 · Category
Interventions & Mitigation6 stats
01
A 2022 randomized trial found that a resilience training program reduced nurses’ burnout scores by 0.33 standard deviations (between-group change reported).
02
A 2021 cluster randomized trial reported a 28% reduction in burnout risk after implementing unit-based organizational support interventions (risk reduction reported for burnout outcomes).
03
A 2020 systematic review of interventions reported that 10 out of 14 included interventions showed statistically significant reductions in at least one burnout dimension (count of significant-effect studies).
04
A 2019 meta-analysis reported that mindfulness-based interventions reduced emotional exhaustion with a pooled effect size of Hedges g=−0.53 (reported pooled estimate).
05
A 2021 review found that cognitive-behavioral therapy–based approaches produced a pooled reduction in burnout symptoms with effect size Hedges g=−0.46 (reported pooled estimate).
06
A 2023 evaluation reported that implementing structured debriefing plus workload coaching decreased nurse burnout scores by 15.2% over 6 months (reported relative reduction).
Interpretation
Interventions & Mitigation Interpretation
Across Interventions & Mitigation efforts, multiple study designs point to meaningful burnout reductions, including a 0.33 standard deviation decrease from resilience training and a 15.2% drop over 6 months from structured debriefing plus workload coaching, with broader evidence showing 10 of 14 intervention types produced statistically significant improvements and pooled mindfulness effects around Hedges g of minus 0.53.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Megan Gallagher. (2026, February 13). Nurses Burnout Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nurses-burnout-statistics
MLA
Megan Gallagher. "Nurses Burnout Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/nurses-burnout-statistics.
Chicago
Megan Gallagher. 2026. "Nurses Burnout Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nurses-burnout-statistics.
Sources & references
50 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+33 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)