What Hundreds of Oncology Nurses Taught Me About Burnout
Last week in Denver, I stood in front of a room packed with oncology nurses — hundreds of them. These were some of the most dedicated, compassionate professionals in healthcare. But what they shared during our session painted a vivid and sobering picture of what it’s costing them to stay in this work.
Through live polling, they gave us insight into their reality. And while some results were encouraging, others left the room in silence.
The Encouraging Signs: Connection and Psychological Safety
Let’s start with the good news — because there is some.
95% of nurses said they have a supportive network of peers at work.
88% said they feel safe reporting errors or near misses without fear of retaliation.
87% reported feeling comfortable seeking help for their mental health at work.
These numbers point to something essential: psychological safety. Connection among peers. A culture where honesty is possible. These are the building blocks of a healthy work environment.
But that’s not the whole story.
The Warning Signs: Moral Distress and Tragic Losses
Only 36% of nurses said they can remove themselves from a situation that causes moral distress — where they’re being asked to act against their values or wellbeing.
And perhaps most sobering: 1 in 3 nurses in the room knew a healthcare worker who has died by suicide.
Read that again. One in three.
The Breaking Point: Burnout Is Nearly Universal
Then came the moment that hit the hardest.
I asked, “Have you experienced at least one symptom of burnout in the last year — emotional exhaustion, cynicism, or a diminished sense of purpose?”
90.95% said yes.
Another 5.6% said maybe.
That’s nearly everyone.
By this point in the session, we’d already spent over an hour defining burnout. These nurses knew exactly what those symptoms meant — and nearly all of them had lived them.
The room went quiet.
You could feel the weight of it.
We Must Keep Talking
Burnout in healthcare isn’t just a workforce issue — it’s a moral one. And if we don’t keep talking about it honestly, without blame or fear, it will continue to steal good people from the work they love.
Whether you lead a team, a department, or an entire health system — now is the time to act.
🔎 Want to Know Where You Stand?
Take my free burnout screening tool at MyBurnoutTest.com. It takes just a few minutes — and could be the first step in starting the right conversation.
Thanks to my co-presenter, Cathy Stubin PhD, RN, CNE, CCRN, and Nimian Bauder, DNP, AGCNS-BC, NPD-BC, EBP-C, for making this session possible. And gratitude to the Oncology Nursing Society for creating space for these crucial conversations.
