Tristin Kate Smith, a 28-year-old nurse from Ohio, tragically took her own life in August 2023, leaving behind a poignant letter expressing her frustration with the U.S. healthcare system. The letter, titled “A Letter to My Abuser,” has resonated with nurses nationwide who share Smith’s disillusionment. Published in The Oakwood Register in October, Smith’s letter highlights the challenges faced by healthcare workers and the toll it takes on their mental health.
Her father, Ron Smith, discovered the letter on her laptop two months after her death and decided to share it to raise awareness. Smith, an emergency room nurse in Dayton, Ohio, expressed her desire to help people but felt compelled to leave the profession, likening her experience to an “abusive relationship” with the healthcare system.
The letter quickly went viral, shedding light on the struggles many healthcare workers endure silently. According to Dr. Lama Bazzi, a New York psychiatrist, healthcare professionals often hesitate to discuss their mental health challenges due to fears of jeopardizing their licensure. The stigma surrounding mental health in the healthcare industry can hinder individuals from seeking help when needed.
Nurse burnout and mental health issues are pervasive in the healthcare sector, with Smith’s case shedding light on the dire need for a supportive environment. Nurses and doctors, driven by noble ambitions to help others, find themselves overwhelmed by the burdens of their own mental health issues, leading to burnout and, in some cases, tragic outcomes.
Smith’s letter emphasized the shortage of nurses, contributing to an overwhelming workload. She pointed out the unrealistic expectations placed on healthcare workers, with daily demands to do more with fewer resources. The American Nurses Association (ANA) acknowledged the mental health challenges nurses face, attributing them to a broken healthcare system that fails to provide adequate support.
A concerning trend revealed in the letter and supported by national data is the exploitation of nurses by hospital administrators. Smith accused administrators of narcissism, exploiting healthcare workers for financial gain while failing to address safety concerns. The letter called for increased workplace safety measures and a shift in blame away from nurses for assaults they may endure on the job.
The healthcare industry is grappling with broader issues, as evidenced by a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The number of healthcare practitioners experiencing workplace harassment, including threats, bullying, and verbal abuse, doubled between 2018 and 2022. This has led to a surge in anxiety, depression, and burnout among healthcare workers.
The CDC report aligns with a 2021 study indicating that nurses were 18% more likely to die from suicide than the general population between 2007 and 2018. Female nurses faced an even higher risk, being 70% more likely to die by suicide than female physicians and twice as likely compared to the general population.
Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, a wellness expert and chief of the division of haematology at the University of Miami emphasized that most healthcare workers believe the system is broken. Some continue to fight against systemic problems, finding innovative solutions, while others feel helpless and unable to advocate for their patients.
The tragic story of Tristin Kate Smith underscores the urgent need for systemic change and increased support for healthcare workers. The healthcare industry must address issues of burnout, mental health stigma, and workplace safety to create an environment where professionals can thrive, ensuring the well-being of both patients and caregivers.
News Reference
Fox News: Emergency room nurse, lost to suicide, called US health care system her ‘abuser’ in haunting letter, https://www.foxnews.com/health/emergency-room-nurse-lost-suicide-called-us-health-care-system-abuser-letter.
