Honors Projects

Abstract

Nurse burnout is a multidimensional occupational syndrome that predates the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the pandemic served as a catalyst that intensified its scope and severity in ways that the healthcare system was profoundly ill-equipped to manage. Characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment, burnout among nurses accelerated dramatically between 2020 and 2022 as clinical workloads surged, personal protective equipment remained scarce, and moral distress became a near-universal experience across care settings. This review examines the primary systemic and individual contributors to nurse burnout during COVID-19, explores the consequences of burnout for both nurses and patients, and evaluates the effectiveness of evidence-based mitigation strategies at the individual and organizational levels. Findings indicate that burnout during the pandemic was not a product of individual weakness or insufficient resilience but rather a predictable and preventable consequence of chronic understaffing, inadequate organizational support, and unrelenting moral distress. Effective interventions spanned the individual level — including mindfulness-based practices, self-compassion training, and structured micro-breaks — and the organizational level, encompassing authentic leadership, safe staffing ratios, and access to psychological support services. The paper concludes with implications for nursing practice, healthcare policy, and future research directions, arguing that the lessons of COVID-19 must be translated into structural reform before the next major public health emergency arrives.

Department

Honors Program

Major

Nursing

First Advisor

Amanda Saucedo

First Advisor Department

Nursing

Second Advisor

Harland Jones

Second Advisor Department

English

Publication Date

Spring 4-27-2026

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Nursing Commons

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