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Nurses don’t burn out because there are lots of sick patients. That’s the job, in most places. That’s who we want to help.

We burn out when we have too many patients and not enough time. When we have too many meds to give and no one from Pharmacy to bring them. When we have too many labs to draw, and no one from Phlebotomy to draw them. When our patient needs someone to sit with them so they don’t jump out of bed and hit the floor, but no CNA available to do so. When we have too many patients, and not enough resources.

Nurses stay when there are safe patient ratios. When there’s a robust support staff. When pay is adequate for the outrageous amount of work that’s being required. When it’s enough pay that maybe it worth being worried that we’ll be sued or unsafe on any given shift. When we feel supported.

When it’s all not enough, people leave. Yes, to take 2-3x the money. If it’s going to be a mess anyway, may as well get paid, right?

Kent would do well to offer retention bonuses to any staff who have stuck around through the pandemic. To talk with nurses and other staff about their needs. To stop pinning these the problems on nurses themselves, and the salvation on this proposed Lifespan merger. Things aren’t so rosy there, either.