74% of Nurses Are Emotionally Exhausted, Burnout Study By Joyce University Reveals

Nurses have been talking about burnout for years, but new data suggests things have crossed into crisis territory. A 2025 survey from Joyce University, which polled 1,000 registered nurses across the U.S., paints a stark picture of what work really feels like right now: exhaustion that never seems to lift, missed meals, sleepless nights, and a growing number of nurses quietly wondering how much longer they can keep going.

The Numbers

The numbers are hard to ignore.

• Nearly 3 out of 4 nurses (74%) say they feel emotionally exhausted multiple times a week. 
• For Gen Z nurses, the newest members of the profession, it’s even worse. More than one in four (28%)  report feeling burned out every single day.

And this isn’t just emotional strain. It’s showing up in basic, physical ways. 

• More than half of nurses regularly skip meals or breaks because they’re simply too busy. 
• Almost half struggle to sleep most nights because of work-related stress, creating a cycle where exhaustion feeds more exhaustion.

What’s especially troubling is how many nurses feel they can’t ask for help, even when help technically exists. 

• Among Gen Z nurses, one in four have access to employer-provided mental health resources but avoid using them, not because they don’t need support, but because they worry about confidentiality or potential career consequences.

There’s also a clear gender gap. 

• 40% of women nurses say they’re uncomfortable talking to their supervisor about burnout or mental health, compared to 26% of men. For many, staying silent feels safer than being honest.

All of this pressure has consequences, for nurses and for patients. 

• Nearly half (49%) of nurses worry at least once a week that fatigue or feeling overwhelmed could lead to a medication error or other mistake. 
• And almost half have felt unsafe at work in the past year due to verbal or physical aggression from patients or family members.

Then there’s overtime. 

• 74% of nurses reported being required to work mandatory overtime three or more times in the past month. That kind of workload doesn’t just wear people down—it pushes them out.
• In fact, more than half (53%) of nurses say they’ve seriously considered leaving the profession, not once, but repeatedly over the past six months. That’s a massive red flag for a healthcare system already struggling with staffing shortages.

Burnout Shortage Cycle

Early-career nurses appear especially vulnerable. Many entered the profession with passion and optimism, only to find themselves burned out before they’ve even had time to settle in. When new nurses are already thinking about leaving, it raises serious questions about sustainability.

The Joyce University findings line up with what many nurses already know firsthand: burnout isn’t just about long shifts. It’s also about charting overload, constant interruptions, and systems that demand more without giving enough back. Studies show that nurses spending hours each shift on documentation report significantly higher burnout and are far more likely to plan an exit from the profession.

Zoom out, and the situation becomes even more alarming. Most healthcare organizations are already facing nurse shortages. A wave of retirements is coming. And younger nurses—who should be the future of the workforce, are questioning whether staying is worth the cost.

Researchers describe this as a burnout–shortage cycle: short staffing increases workload, workload fuels burnout, burnout drives turnover, and turnover makes staffing even worse. Rural hospitals and critical care units are often hit the hardest.

The takeaway isn’t that nurses are weak or unwilling—it’s the opposite. Nurses are carrying too much, for too long, with too little support.

A Wake-Up Call

As the Joyce University researchers put it, this isn’t just a workforce issue. It’s a wake-up call.

If we want to protect the nursing profession, we have to start by protecting nurses themselves through safer staffing, better systems, and support that nurses can actually trust and use.

Because nursing is still meaningful work. But meaningful work shouldn’t come at the cost of people’s health, safety, or live.

🤔Nurses, share your thoughts below.