Nearly half of nurses surveyed at Magnet-recognized hospitals reported experiencing burnout, attributing it to staffing, management, work environment, and safety struggles. Researchers reported the survey results in JAMA Health Forum.  

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional, multicenter survey study of 15,738 nurses and 5,312 physicians at 60 nationally distributed U.S. Magnet hospitals. They found that burnout affected 47% of the nurses and that nurse burnout was associated with higher nurse and physician turnover alike. Nurses also reported: 

  • Understaffed nursing units (54%) 

  • Lack of confidence in management (46%) 

  • Unfavorable patient safety (26%) 

Fewer than 10% of all clinicians surveyed described their workplace as joyful. 

The five highest nurse-ranked strategies to reduce burnout and improve well-being were: 

  • Improve nurse staffing levels (nearly 90%) 

  • Support uninterrupted breaks (more than 80%) 

  • Improve team communication (more than 60%) 

  • Enable nurses to spend more time in direct care (nearly 60%) 

  • Increase individual control of scheduling (more than 50%) 

Use the tools in ONS’s Nurse Well-Being Learning Library and the Oncology Nursing Foundation’s 40 Ways to Wellness Resiliency Resources collection to help support your well-being strategies and mental health.