Burnout Among US School Nurses: Association With Education, Experience, and Staffing Level.

Abstract

Burnout among school nurses has become a critical concern. Workplace conditions, such as adequate staffing and individual factors such as professional tenure and role, may shape how burnout is experienced and reported, yet their influence remains understudied in school settings. The goal of this study was to examine the association between burnout and key socio-demographic and workforce factors, including education, professional role, years of experience, and perceived staffing adequacy among 1,960 U.S. school nurses responding to a nationwide survey conducted in 2022. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and Chi-squared tests were used to explore relationships between variables. Burnout prevalence increased sharply, from 17% pre-pandemic to 70% in 2022. Higher burnout was significantly associated with years of experience, population served, and perceived adequacy of staffing. These findings highlight the urgent need for workforce interventions and staffing policy changes to reduce burnout and support retention of school health professionals.