, “Throughout the ‘90s, nurses experienced terrible burdens. They talked about mistakes made and bad patient outcomes, about burnout and extraordinary frustration, about retiring early or leaving for other careers. And that’s why ratios are so important, not only in ensuring patients’ safety but also in retaining nurses” (Edwards 2002, 2).
There have been numerous studies conducted on workplace stress and burnout among psychiatric nurses. Burnout is often the result of occupational stress that occurs for an extended period of time and is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of personal accomplishment (Clements and Land 2003). According to Clements and Land (2003), psyche nurses that experience burnout tend to exhibit the following attitudes and feelings:
Feel they no longer age able to provide emotional support for others.
Develop negative and cynical attitudes and feelings toward clients.
Tend to negatively view self and others.
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