On-site therapy could benefit the mental health of nurses overwhelmed by COVID-19 caseloads and staff shortages, according to Butler County Community College registered nursing students.

A group of second-level nursing students researched issues confronting health care, and presented proposals recently in the college's business and health professions building.

The issues they found included “workplace violence in nursing,” “ventilator-associated pneumonia with mouth care as the intervention,” “communication boards vs. no communication boards in relation to patient care and safety” and “on-site therapy to reduce burnout in the critical care nurse.”

“Burnout is crazy high,” said Krista Hartle, a registered nurse student from Butler. “There's already a shortage on staff. You're picking up extra shifts. You're trying to take care of critically ill patients. You're running on zero energy.”

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