Update expands guidance for addressing nurse burnout, moral suffering

In the January issue of Nursing Management, researchers updated their 2020 recommendations for tackling burnout and moral suffering among nurses. Although some suffering is unavoidable, the authors wrote, “avoidable suffering must be prevented and resolved at the organizational level.” Their update provided recommendations for systematically improving the work environment, including prioritizing nursing professional development, creating an ethics infrastructure, and rebuilding trust through transparent communication and planning. The update also listed recommendations for policymakers. “If durable changes aren't made, patient outcomes will continue to suffer long after the pandemic ends and the nursing workforce will continue to experience mental and emotional harms through the health system's next crisis,” the authors concluded.