In South Africa, nurses form the backbone of the primary health care (PHC) system. Their well‐being is, therefore, of paramount importance in the effective provisioning of health services. This paper explores predictors and levels of burnout experienced by professional nurses working in PHC facilities in the Free State. The sample comprised 182 nurses working in facilities rendering antiretroviral treatment (ART) services and 361 nurses working in facilities not rendering ART. Respondents completed a series of standardised instruments. Descriptive statistics were calculated and stepwise regression analysis performed to investigate the relative contribution of various stressors to the variance in burnout. High levels of burnout were identified. Availability of resources, workload and conflict at work explain 21% of the variance in the level of emotional exhaustion reported by the professional nurses. To a large degree, the results indicate that the well‐being of professional nurses is significantly affected by chronic work overload and occupational stress.

South African adolescents show increased levels of suicidal behaviour. This article explores the perceptions of adolescents at risk of suicide regarding the psychosocial stressors they believe contribute to suicidal behaviour among South African adolescents. This study was conducted on 214 adolescents from the Western Cape Province with a high suicide risk. The group was selected on the basis of their high scores on the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire. A qualitative content analysis was performed with their responses on a question about the reasons for adolescent suicide. The analysis highlighted risk factors relating to substance abuse, negative emotional experiences, lack of self-esteem, problem-solving ability and hope for the future; negative family environment and conflict in family relationships; peer group and romantic relationships; stressful life events; and socioeconomic factors. Guided by the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory suggestions were made for adolescent resource development to counter-act the impact of the various stressors they experience.