More than half of nurses who work with organ transplant patients in the United States report high levels of emotional exhaustion and low levels of personal accomplishment in their life-saving work, according to a study published in Progress in Transplantation. These nurses show signs of burnout and organizations must create a nurturing environment for caregivers as well as patients, according to the study. Sixteen percent of nurses try to emotionally distance themselves from patients--a common reaction to feeling overwhelmed in stressrul situations--but patients often misconstrue the behavior as indifference, according to researchers. "At the end of the day, the nurses spend the most time with the patients and wear all the hats in a health system," lead author Michelle Jesse, Ph.D., said in a study announcement. "Plus, transplant nurses work really hard trying to get their patients listed to get a transplant, they get to know the family and sometimes it doesn't work out. And that's really tough." Study announcement