Combating Clinical Burnout: You are Not Alone

September 22, 2025

Burnout is real, and it’s more than just feeling tired or stressed. It's a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged or excessive stress. It's a system failure that signifies unrealistic expectations placed on an individual. And it is a sign that something needs to change. The earlier the care team recognizes it, the sooner individual clinicians can recognize it themselves.

What is Clinical Burnout?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as a syndrome conceptualized from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed and can be characterized by feelings of energy depletion, increased mental distance, reduced sense of accomplishment and reduced professional efficacy. Burnout is included in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an occupational phenomenon.

Clinical burnout is particularly prevalent in frontline healthcare workers. According to a 2020 survey, 62% of nurses surveyed reported high levels of stress and burnout. More recently, 69% of nurses under the age of 25 reported burnout. Those statistics feel very real to those of us who have worked long hours while managing both physical and emotional demands.

The American Nurses Foundation, Pulse on the Nation's Nurses Survey Series: Mental Health and Wellness Survey 4, May 2023 was conducted to determine the changes and further impact of COVID-19 on the mental health and wellness of nurses, with additional inquiries concerning stress and burnout. Nearly 7,500 nurses were surveyed and the top three common feelings reported were:

• Stressed – 66%

• Frustrated – 61%

• Exhausted – 58%

In addition, 40% to 50% expressed being burnt out, anxious or overwhelmed.

Pandemic Turning Point

As a frontline nurse practitioner, I have witnessed the increasing demands of healthcare. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us worked longer shifts with fewer resources, little support, limited protective equipment and increased isolation from our own families. The pandemic drew attention to many issues, including the mental health crisis among nurses and other care providers as well as the need for ensuring that healthcare workers have a safe environment to work in.

Physical Strain: The Often-Overlooked Contributor

Physical strain can contribute to clinical burnout. Long hours, repetitive motions and awkward postures can accumulate into chronic pain or injury. Paying attention to ergonomics in clinical spaces matters. Small changes can help reduce strain and support long-term physical health including:

• Adjustable workstations to accommodate various users

• Properly positioned equipment to reduce repetitive stress

• Comfortable seating in both work and rest areas

• Height-adjustable exam and procedure chairs to provide equitable care while reducing strain on the staff

Many clinicians have experienced the soreness that lingers after long shifts. Repetitive movements, poor ergonomics and physical exhaustion all build over time. We are used to putting the patients first, but taking care of small things for our own wellbeing allows us to keep showing up for them.

Reducing Mental Load: Cognitive Burden

Reducing cognitive burden is also important in combating clinician burnout. One significant contributor to this burden is the complexity and fragmentation of digital workflows. When clinicians are forced to navigate systems that require excessive clicks or repeated manual data entry, the mental workload increases, often detracting from patient care. Implementing streamlined digital workflows can alleviate unnecessary cognitive load. These optimizations not only improve efficiency but also support clinicians’ mental well-being by reducing frustration and preserving cognitive resources for critical decision-making.

Supporting Clinician Respite: At Work and at Home

The current nursing shortage and rising patient acuity leave little room for rest. But sustainable care requires moments to pause and reset. This starts with protecting breaks and giving clinicians flexible options.

At work, that may be:

• Accessible rest spaces that don’t interrupt workflow

• Calming environments that incorporate natural elements

• Private areas for brief moments of reflection or connection or small group interactions

Outside of work, time off must be protected as a true break from professional responsibilities. Constant charting during breaks or after hours creates resentment and drains morale. A few strategies to help reduce your stress include what I call GEAR UP:

The American Nurses Association Enterprise (ANAE) launched Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation—a wellness program targeting physical activity, rest, nutrition, quality of life, safety and mental health. Institutions including MD Anderson Cancer Center and Vanderbilt Health have integrated this program into their wellness efforts.

Engagement and Advocacy: Leadership Matters

Burnout is not just a personal issue, but a system issue. That means healthcare leaders must be a part of the solution. Dr Jha and colleagues describe clinical burnout as a public health crisis that demands action by healthcare institutions, governing bodies and regulators. Understanding the true impact within each organization is key as a step to understanding each organization’s needs.

Here are a few steps that organizations can take:

• Conduct anonymous surveys to assess burnout

• Create a culture of psychological safety where asking for help isn’t stigmatized

• Prioritize wellness resources

We need to rebuild purpose and meaning in our work, and that happens when clinicians feel supported and heard.

Research continues to highlight effective leadership as one of the most powerful tools in reducing burnout. Some institutions are already leading the way. Stanford Medicine and Kaiser Permanente have appointed Chief Wellness Officers to address burnout from the top down. The American Medical Association provides information regarding how to implement this role including real life examples from four institutions who have applied this role within their organization. Once the position is established, a toolkit is available as a resource to lay the foundation and outline a step-by-step approach to success.

The WHO and the International Labour Organization created the Mental health at work: policy brief providing a framework for implementing WHO guidelines on mental health at work to help prevent work-related mental health conditions, protect and promote mental health at work, and support workers with mental health conditions.

Call to Action: Address the Burnout

Clinical burnout is not caused by one issue, and it will not be solved by one solution. It takes a collective effort, both personal and organizational, to create meaningful change. Every decision, every adjustment and every conversation contribute to a healthcare environment where clinicians can either thrive or experience burnout.

For workload challenges, one possible solution is to provide flexible work options. Also given workload increases, there needs to be steps in place to reduce the administrative burden on our clinicians.

Addressing the widespread issue of physician burnout requires a coordinated response across all levels of healthcare delivery. Sustainable progress hinges on innovative strategies that touch every area—from staffing models and clinical workflows to EHR usability, organizational culture and systems of peer support—all working together in a continuous cycle of evaluation and improvement.

While the impact on patient care is more well recognized, burnout also has a significant financial toll on the healthcare system. The costs of turnover alone is high, but burnout can lead to increased absenteeism, decreased job satisfaction and lower team engagement.

By prioritizing intentional workspace design, supportive leadership and consistent self-care habits including GEAR UP, we can begin to change the culture. We do not always take care of ourselves the way we encourage our patients to do. Recognizing and addressing burnout early can help with retention, restore a sense of purpose and allow us to show up fully. This is how we care not only for our patients, but for ourselves and each other. It is about creating an environment where we can find fulfillment again.

What is clear—all of us involved in healthcare need to continue to and remain committed to addressing burnout in the clinical setting. Without the people behind the care, healthcare wouldn’t exist.

Additional Resources:

• Nurse Well-Being: Building Peer and Leadership Support

• Prevent Nurse Burnout: ANA's Essential Strategies for a Healthier Workforce

• Nurse Burnout Prevention Program

• Understanding and Prioritizing Nurses' Mental Health and Well-Being

• Physician Wellness Toolbox

• AMA Alliance Physician Family Burnout Quiz

About the Author

I am a board-certified nurse practitioner with over a decade of clinical experience. My background includes a strong focus on education, both at the bedside and in the classroom. In my current role at Midmark, I support the clinical education team by delivering impactful, evidence-based education to healthcare professionals. I’m passionate about using my clinical expertise to bridge the gap between practice and innovation by empowering clinicians to provide the highest standard of care.