Nursing, burnout and admin strain – would nurses choose the same path?
Stress and limited support are causing many nurses to question whether they’d choose this path again.
Key Takeaways
- 27% of nurses report feeling burnt out.
- Nearly 1 in 4 nurses wouldn’t choose nursing again if given the chance to rewrite their history.
- 53% of nurses have considered quitting due to emotional exhaustion or burnout in the last year, and nearly 1 in 4 (23%) report crying at least once a week during their shifts.
- 1 in 3 nurses would not encourage others to enter the nursing profession today.
- 68% of nurses say administrative tasks are a moderate or significant contributor to their feelings of burnout, and 61% believe a streamlined EHR system would most reduce that feeling.
Many nurses enter the profession with a deep sense of purpose, but what happens after years of emotional and physical strain? In honor of National Nurses Week, Tebra asked 252 nurses across the United States to reflect on their careers. The survey uncovered how burnout, emotional tolls, and systemic challenges have impacted nurses' job satisfaction, and what changes they believe are needed to restore hope and sustainability in the profession.
Key takeaways
- 27% of nurses report feeling burnt out.
- Nearly 1 in 4 nurses wouldn't choose nursing again if given the chance to rewrite their history.
- 53% of nurses have considered quitting due to emotional exhaustion or burnout in the last year, and nearly 1 in 4 (23%) report crying at least once a week during their shifts.
- 1 in 3 nurses would not encourage others to enter the nursing profession today.
- 68% of nurses say administrative tasks are a moderate or significant contributor to their feelings of burnout, and 61% believe a streamlined EHR system would most reduce that feeling.
How nurses feel about their careers
While many nurses would still choose this path again, their day-to-day realities tell a more complicated story.
- If they could go back in time, 23% of nurses would not have chosen this career path, but 77% say they would do it all over again.
- Nurses in long-term care are the most likely to reaffirm their career choice, with 86% saying they would still choose nursing. In contrast, only 52% of outpatient clinic nurses said the same.
- Newer nurses showed slightly more optimism: 81% of those with 5 or fewer years of experience say they would still become a nurse. But even among this group, over half had considered quitting in the past year.
- Burnout is a driving force behind these sentiments. Nearly 1 in 3 nurses (27%) currently feel burnt out, and 37% report feeling this way on a daily or weekly basis. Millennials experience the highest levels of burnout, with 42% often feeling overwhelmed.
- Over half of nurses (53%) have considered leaving the profession due to emotional exhaustion or burnout in the past year. This number climbs to 57% among those with 5 years or less on the job.
- 23% of nurses report crying at least once a week during their shifts, and it's more common among younger Gen Z nurses at 30%.
For private practices, these insights highlight the importance of creating a supportive work environment for nurses. Private practices, in particular, can lead the way by offering flexible scheduling, manageable workloads, and access to mental health resources – creating the kind of supportive environment that larger systems often struggle to deliver. Investing in staff well-being ultimately strengthens the quality of care patients receive.
While this survey focuses on nurses, burnout trends span across the healthcare workforce - including physicians. Explore how burnout rates vary by medical specialty. Like their physician counterparts, nurses are grappling with intense pressure and rising burnout across care settings and specialties.
Invisible burdens and emotional labor nurses face daily
Beyond what patients see, nurses manage an overwhelming mix of responsibilities, emotional demands, and professional pressures. Many feel that the hardest parts of their job remain invisible to the public and even to others within the healthcare system.
- Two-thirds of nurses say being short-staffed and responsible for too many patients is the most difficult part of the job that no one talks about.
- More than half (57%) feel underpaid, believing they don't earn what their work is truly worth.
- A lack of professional respect also weighs heavily, as 36% of nurses say they feel that doctors don't respect their work.
- Nearly two-thirds (63%) have been asked to compromise their values or patient care standards because of time constraints, staffing issues, or administrative pressure.
- Public understanding falls short: 77% of nurses wish people knew just how emotionally and mentally taxing their job really is.
Nurses often carry invisible burdens that go unnoticed by patients and even colleagues. From understaffing and emotional strain to feeling undervalued, these challenges can erode morale over time. Private practices that acknowledge and address these pressures are better positioned to support nurse well-being and improve care delivery.
What would make nursing better for the future?
Nurses are opening up what's wrong, but they're also offering solutions. From fairer compensation to more supportive technology, many have a clear vision of what would make their day-to-day work more manageable.
- While 2 in 3 nurses would encourage others to enter the nursing profession today, 1 in 3 would not.
- More than three-quarters of nurses (76%) say that higher pay or increased financial transparency would most improve their day-to-day experience.
- Administrative work – particularly in under-resourced environments – continues to drain nurses’ time and energy: 68% say these tasks significantly contribute to their feelings of burnout.
- 61% say streamlined EHR systems would best reduce their administrative load, and another 55% say mobile documentation tools could also help ease the burden.
Nurses are clear about what they need to thrive, namely, better pay, more transparency, and tools that lighten their workload. Reducing administrative burdens through EHR software and mobile documentation could significantly ease burnout and free up time for patient care. For private practices, listening to these priorities is essential to building a more sustainable and rewarding work environment.
Looking ahead: Supporting the future of nursing
Nurses are proud of the work they do, but many are asking for changes that make their jobs more sustainable. Better pay, stronger support, and less time spent on administrative tasks are just a few of the ways to ease daily pressures. When nurses feel valued and supported, they're more likely to stay - improving patient satisfaction, continuity of care and practice performance over time..
For private practices, that support starts with listening and leads to action. This might include offering flexible schedules, simplifying documentation through integrated, intuitive tools designed to reduce time spent on routine tasks.. Small, consistent changes can make a big difference in nurse satisfaction and help practices build stronger, more resilient care teams.
Methodology
For this study, Tebra surveyed 252 nurses about their career in hindsight, their experiences, and the future outlook of their profession.
About Tebra
Tebra, headquartered in Southern California, empowers independent healthcare practices with cutting-edge AI and automation to drive growth, streamline care, and boost efficiency. Our all-in-one EHR and billing platform delivers everything you need to attract and engage your patients, including online scheduling, reputation management, and digital communications.
Inspired by "vertebrae," our name embodies our mission to be the backbone of healthcare success. With over 165,000 providers and 190 million patient records, Tebra is redefining healthcare through innovation and a commitment to customer success. We're not just optimizing operations — we're ensuring private practices thrive.
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