Overworked, underpaid: Local doctor says COVID burnout straining healthcare workers

Dr. Nicole Swiner is a familiar face on WRAL News, often joining us during the pandemic to share her medical expertise.

Earlier this year, she decided to leave her practice – saying she was burned out from being on the front lines of COVID.

"I think the pandemic truly was the straw that broke the camel’s back," she said. "It caused me to focus on my own mental health. My own medical health."

Swiner is not alone. Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the number of employees in the healthcare field in March 2022 is down 1.8% from February 2020.

"During the pandemic, the work didn't stop," says Swiner. "It tripled. It quadrupled. We had less staff available."

Underpaid. Overworked. Swiner says there was a huge amount of grief in the community.

These days, Swiner manages her own business: Serenity Hydration and Wellness.

For her, it was a decision to prioritize her work-life balance, and mental health.

"It’s my way of incorporating what I know from medicine into more of a wellness, self-care, IV, hydration, nutrition world," she says.

Locally, Duke and UNC Health say they are implementing new ways to help employees feel supported. They, too, have seen increased turnover. At Duke, a spokesperson says they are raising salaries and trying to reduce workload. At UNC, they started a help-line, where employees can get mental health support. This year they gave out “thank you” bonuses to all employees.