Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook. Nurses are feeling the effect of the pandemic. A recent American Nurses Association survey revealed over half of nurses surveyed felt exhausted, and 43 percent were overwhelmed. Forty-two percent of Vermont nurses felt anxious, higher than the national average. One out of four nurses felt sad, with 23 percent being depressed. To avert a workforce crisis, Vermont needs to protect and value its nurses. As the largest component of the healthcare workforce, nurses need to be included in decisions about healthcare and on committee assignments. ⢠Advanced Practice Nurses need to be considered equitably with physicians in decisions and funding concerning the practitioner workforce, to assist both rural and other populations in need of primary care.