Staffing issues, workplace violence among nurses’ top concerns: poll

A new poll from National Nurses United found nurses’ top concerns in their field two years into the coronavirus pandemic that has placed enormous burdens on health care workers are staffing issues and workplace violence.

The poll found concern on both issues increased from past polls conducted by the union in 2021.

Sixty-nine percent of nurses reported staffing shortages have become slightly or significantly worse, an increase of 47.8 percent from March 2021 — when the nation was one year into the pandemic. 

The poll showed 26.5 percent of nurses were assigned to an area that required a skillset they did not possess while 46 percent say they did not get any training if they ended up in an area that was outside their expertise. 

Along with staffing issues, nurses have recorded an increase in workplace violence over the past year, with 48 percent currently saying there has been a slight or significant increase in workplace violence. 

In March 2021, only 21.9 percent of nurses reported increases in workplace violence.

“Nurses are experiencing alarming levels of moral distress and moral injury due to the unsafe working conditions. Since our last survey in September 2021, even more nurses have reported feeling more stress and anxiety as well as feeling traumatized by their experiences caring for patients,” Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, a president of National Nurses United, said.

Nurses have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic as hundreds of thousands of Americans have died from the virus. 

The survey showed 83.5 percent of nurses are more stressed now than before the pandemic, 77.2 percent are more anxious and 68.7 percent are more sad or depressed.

The survey was conducted between Feb. 2 and March 20 among 2,575 nurses.