UTAH (ABC4) – It’s no secret that the title “Healthcare Hero” has been well earned by nurses nationwide throughout the pandemic. Over the past two years, caregivers have been forced to spread themselves thin due to a heightened demand for medical attention. 

A recent study conducted by IntelyCare, an app used by over 30,000 nurses to pick up shifts daily, found that the COVID-19 pandemic has had serious consequences on our healthcare providers. 

According to the study, which compiled data from 500 nurses, the majority of nurses (56%) are sacrificing their mental health for their jobs, and more than two-in-five (41%) are considering leaving the profession as a result of overwhelm. 

“Our nurses are not experiencing fatigue or burnout, they are experiencing significant moral injury and critical distress to their emotional foundation,” said Rebecca Love, IntelyCare’s chief clinical officer, a nurse, and well-known advocate for nurses. “We know that most of what is being offered to the frontlines in terms of whole-person support does not address the moral injury that nurses are experiencing.”

IntelyCare pointed out the effects overworking can have on our caretaker’s family members. Of the 500 nurses observed, 61 percent have been told by a family member or friend that they work too much. Similarly, 44 percent of participants reported missing important family milestones in order to be a nurse. 

Healthcare professionals are additionally sacrificing their personal time. Nearly 40 percent of nurses disclosed that they’re unable to take time off when they want to, while more than a quarter (29%) of respondents hadn’t taken a vacation in 2021. 

“Healthcare administrators owe it to nurses and to patients to empower and invest in the nursing profession,” said David Coppins, IntelyCare CEO. “We need to seek out new tools and systems. We need to reinvent reimbursement and scheduling models around work-life balance, career paths, and education. The challenges nurses face are built into the system; to facilitate real change we have to begin with that understanding.”

To check out the full study, click here.