The Nursing Crisis: How Toxic Workplaces Are Fueling The Nursing Shortage

Teresa Sanderson, RN, CCIM


Distance learning allows students to balance their other commitments more effectively, at least in cases they are adult learners, commuters, and part-time students. They don’t believe that they sacrifice a quality education for the convenience of utilizing distance learning.

How does online learning work? Learning management systems (LMS) provide an accessible exchange of information between professors and students. Τhis way, students can view learning material at their leisure or even attend scheduled conferences or lectures.
The Great Resignation, a phenomenon in which millions of workers around the world are quitting their jobs, has been widely reported in the media. While there are many factors that contribute to this trend, toxic workplace culture has been identified as one of the leading causes. In this article I’ll explore how toxic culture is a leading cause of the great resignation within the nursing profession.

What is Toxic Culture?
Toxic culture refers to an environment in which employees are subject to abuse, harassment, and discrimination. This can take many forms, including bullying, incivility, lack of support from management, and a disregard for work-life balance. Toxic culture can be damaging to both the physical and mental health of employees, leading to high levels of stress, burnout, and even illness.

The Impact of Toxic Culture on the Nursing Profession
The nursing profession has long been subject to toxic workplace culture. For decades the phrase “nurses eat their young” has been used to describe a culture of incivility prevalent in the majority of nursing workplaces. 
Nurses are routinely overworked, underpaid, and undervalued. They are expected to work long hours, often with little support from management, and are frequently subjected to abuse from patients and their families. In an already stressful work environment, incivility experienced in nurse to nurse communication increases stress and anxiety experienced by nurses.
Research has shown that toxic culture in the nursing profession has a significant impact on the mental health of nurses. A study published in the Journal of Nursing Education and Practice found that nurses who experienced toxic culture reported higher levels of depression, anxiety, and burnout than those who did not.

Toxic culture in the nursing profession can also lead to high levels of turnover. A study published in the Journal of Nursing Administration found that nurses who experienced bullying and incivility were more likely to leave their jobs than those who did not.

The Impact of the Great Resignation
The Great Resignation is a global phenomenon in which workers are quitting their jobs at an unprecedented rate. While there are many factors contributing to this trend, toxic workplace culture has been identified as one of the leading causes.
Nursing as a profession has not been immune to the impact of the Great Resignation. Nurses are quitting their jobs at a higher rate than ever before, with many citing toxic workplace culture, working conditions and work environment as reasons for leaving. An informal poll on LinkedIn in April 2023 indicated that 86% of nurses have left a position because of toxic nursing culture and another 7% reported they had not left yet but would if they could.

The Bottom Line…

Toxic workplace culture is a leading cause of the Great Resignation and the nursing profession is particularly impacted. Nurses work long hours, are subject to abuse from patients and families, and experience high levels of stress on a regular basis. All of which can lead to burnout and mental health issues. The impact of toxic culture on the nursing profession is significant, with high levels of turnover and a shortage of qualified nurses. It is vital that healthcare organizations take steps to address toxic nursing culture to improve the working conditions for nurses and reduce the impact of the Great Resignation on the nursing profession.