The pandemic has disproportionately pushed younger nurses away from the profession, at a time when they are desperately needed, US surveys have found.

A 2022 American Nurses Foundation survey found that younger nurses were particularly likely to be unhappy in their careers, with 31 per cent of those aged 25 to 34 reporting that they intended to leave their position within the next six months, compared to 18 per cent among those 55 or older.

This is not surprising, when young nurses were especially likely to report being in poor mental health, with 66 per cent of those under 35 reporting feeling anxious, compared to 35 per cent of those 55 or older.

Younger age is also generally a risk factor for nurse burnout, according to a 2021 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

“This may be because less experienced nurses are not used to handling extreme situations like a pandemic,” reported Time magazine.

During COVID, US health staff worked in gruelling conditions, with a heavy burden falling on young nurses.

The American Nurses Foundation survey found 86 per cent of nurses under 35 were required to work beyond their shift at least weekly – compared to 58 per cent for all nurses.

And nurses with two to 10 years’ experience felt considerably less able to take time off when requesting leave (34 per cent) compared to nurses with 41 to 50 years’ experience (53 per cent) and 50+ years’ experience (57 per cent).