Healthcare professionals quitting careers over overcrowding stress

Nurses working in emergency departments (EDs) have had to ration their care of patients “to a dangerous degree” and often face moral distress and even burnout, according to a new study.

The research, based on interviews with nurses in three EDs across the country, shows that, in some cases, nurses simply walk away from their profession because of the stress of working in overcrowded settings.

The findings show emergency nurses are often forced to engage in a sliding scale of care resulting in reduced dignity for patients.