What Childbirth Educators and Families Need to Know About Nurse Burnout and Short Staffing

Long before pregnancy occurs, many women contemplate what birth will be like. When pregnancy is achieved, women may have expectations about how they would like their birth to go, and many will make a formal birth plan. Plans may be basic, such as who would be present during labor and birth or more detailed with specifics regarding each stage of labor. Many websites exist to help guide women with this process. However, there is often a disconnect between women's expectations for birth versus standard options available at their chosen hospital or birth center and specific provider practices. One of the factors that may impact implementation of the birth plan is the availability of staff (nursing) support to help the patient and family implement their plan. Nurse burnout and inadequate staffing may have a negative impact on the ability of a family to implement their chosen birth plan. Insufficient nurse staffing can lead to burnout and inadequate mental reserves for nurses to help patients and families. The purpose of this article is to explore the research related to nurse burnout in perinatal units and to discuss how nurse burnout and mental exhaustion may impact the birthing experience. Strategies are presented to help families overcome these challenges.