Comparison of Nurse Burnout, Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Pandemics are not new, but our global community allows the spread of disease to occur much more rapidly than ever before. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has placed nurses on the frontlines caring for contagious and acutely ill patients. Nurse burnout is not new either; however, these demands have put a strain on nurses, and nurse burnout has been reported as being at high levels. This article looks at a history of pandemics and examines the research related to nurse burnout during previous and the current COVID-19 pandemic. The authors conclude this article with recommendations for evidence-based interventions to decrease factors associated with nurse burnout.