Nurses' mental health has made improvements since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey released by travel nurse platform Trusted Health.
The average rating for mental health among nurses in 2023 was 6.6, up from 5.8 in 2022, 5.7 in 2021 and 5.4 in 2020. Negative outcomes associated with mental health have declined, with moral injury down by 28 percent and compassion fatigue and suicidal thoughts dropping by 27 and 25 percent, respectively.
There are a variety of factors affecting nurses' mental health, with 80 percent of nurses listing staffing shortages as a reason for mental health struggles. Meanwhile, 55 percent included patient assignments and 53 percent listed the atmosphere in their unit or department.