Justin Sullivan via Getty Images The COVID-19 pandemic spurred massive disruptions to the economy and labor market that have yet to abate. It also particularly underscored the plight of workers in one of the widest-held occupations in the country — nurses. Over the past year, those on the front lines have reported increasing rates of burnout, declining mental health and distrust and disengagement from the organizations employing them. Some are considering leaving their roles for jobs not involved in direct patient care or retiring. But demand for nurses will only grow, and so will the demands of the job, according to a report published Tuesday from the National Academy of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. They face a population that's both aging and seeing increasing behavioral and mental health conditions, and in the workplace will likely help tackle health care policy and equity issues.