Survey: NC nurses are exhausted, overworked as cases among the unvaccinated rise

A survey from the North Carolina Nurses Association shows that nurses across the state are overworked and emotionally exhausted.

The majority of nurses surveyed say that their hospital facility has a severe shortage of staff, causing them to have to work longer hours.

As of Wednesday, more than 3,700 people were in the hospital across North Carolina with COVID-19. That's the most hospitalizations reported since January, state data shows. Nearly 500 people were admitted to the hospital with coronavirus in the past 24 hours.

Triangle hospitals see shortage of nurses as COVID hospitalizations rise

The survey was conducted from Aug. 23 to Aug. 29, and 463 nurses responded. Thirteen percent of those nurses said they were prepared to leave the profession due to burnout.

"I get feelings of dread when I start getting ready to go to work,” said one respondent. “After I come home I will spontaneously from time to time just start crying for no reason that I can figure out at the time.”

A quarter of all people hospitalized with COVID-19 in North Carolina on Wednesday were on ventilators, state data shows.

NC grapples with filling thousands of vacant nursing jobs

A majority of nurses say the current COVID-19 surge they are dealing with now is more frustrating because the majority of the patients they treat are unvaccinated. Health experts say the recent COVID-19 surge is driven by primarily unvaccinated individuals. The number of North Carolinians who are fully vaccinated has been rising — 61% of adults across the state are fully vaccinated, state data shows.

"Seeing our ICU fill with unvaccinated or partially vaccinated patients is heartbreaking," another respondent said. "I have turned in my [30 day] notice at the hospital and do not currently have another job lined up.”

Only 11.8% of ICU beds in North Carolina are still available, as of Wednesday.

Nearly 90% of all nurses surveyed are vaccinated, the NCNA's survey found.

UNC nurse saves baby's life in Cary

“I feel like every patient visit is a confrontation about vaccination. I've never seen so many people distrust medical providers,” said one respondent.

The NCNA survey said that nurses are facing pressure from "a variety of different angles" as more people are hospitalized with COVID-19.

"We need better resources, we need the space to practice self-care, we need our patients to listen to our advice. We need a break,” said NCNA President Dennis Taylor. “This survey confirms that what I’m seeing on the front lines is consistent across the state. I hope it serves as a flashing warning light to patients, policymakers, and healthcare leaders that the status quo cannot last much longer.

This survey was not scientific and did not follow the scientific method, the NCNA said.