‘I can’t do this’: Nurse practitioner burnout may be Ontario’s next health-care crisis

A national survey reveals that Ontario nurse practitioners are facing a concerning workforce crisis while trying to take on more to cover gaps in the health-care system.

A growing number of nurse practitioners in Ontario say they’re reaching a breaking point under the province’s strained health-care system.

Citing low pay, burnout and unsustainable job responsibilities, nurses warn that without urgent action, the overburdened health-care system could come tumbling down.

Aliya Hajee, a nurse practitioner and founder of NP Circle, an organization that supports nurse practitioners in Canada, said the current reality is not just frustration — it’s a crisis.

“Nurse practitioners have been stepping in to fill these gaps the past several years, but we’re doing much more with less,” she said. “We’re managing increasing volumes of patient care without the support we really need to sustain that.”

A national survey conducted by NP Circle found that only one in eight Ontario nurse practitioners were “very satisfied” with their jobs.

Nearly one in five were “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied,” and almost 78 per cent pointed to compensation as their top concern.

“The whole reason I created NP Circle and started this survey was because there was no space for nurse practitioners to connect and feel supported in a system that often feels isolating,” explained Hajee. “And the data directly reflects that this is truly concerning.”

Claudia Mariano, a retired nurse practitioner with more than 25 years of experience on the job, said resentment is common in the trade.