Hospital Study Shows Adding Nurses Reduces Doctor Burnout

A 10% boost in nursing staff dramatically cuts physician burnout and turnover intentions. University of Pennsylvania researchers surveyed over 6,400 doctors and 15,000 nurses across U.S. and European hospitals. In American hospitals, modest nursing improvements linked to 22% fewer physicians planning to quit, 25% fewer refusing to recommend their workplace, 19% less job dissatisfaction, and 10% lower burnout rates. European facilities saw similar gains with 20% lower physician departure intentions and 27% fewer refusing workplace recommendations. Lead researcher Linda Aiken said “investing in nurses is a ‘two-for-one’ solution-improving both nurse and physician wellbeing while also strengthening patient care.” The study found 20 to 44% of surveyed doctors intended to quit due to dissatisfaction, with up to 45% reporting high burnout levels. (Story URL)