Investing in Nurses Reduces Physician Burnout

TUESDAY, Nov. 25, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Better nurse staffing and hospital environments benefit nurses and are also associated with less physician burnout and job dissatisfaction, according to a study published online Nov. 17 in JAMA Network Open.Linda H. Aiken, Ph.D., R.N., from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues compared hospital physician well-being across European countries and the United States. The analysis included 21,396 physicians and nurses from 49 hospitals in six European countries (Belgium, England, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, and Norway) and 56 U.S. hospitals.The researchers found that poor well-being was common among hospital physicians in the United States and Europe, with 29.9 and 23.8 percent, respectively, reporting they intended to leave their job within a year. Favorable physician job outcomes in the United States and Europe were linked to improvements in nurse staffing adequacy, clinical care environments, and clinician teamwork. Among U.S. hospitals, a 10 percent increase in favorable care environments was associated with lower odds of physicians intending to leave (odds ratio [OR], 0.78), not recommending their hospital (OR, 0.75), experiencing high burnout (OR, 0.90), and having job dissatisfaction (OR, 0.81). For European hospitals, a 10 percent increase in hospital-level reports of nurse staffing adequacy was associated with lower odds of physicians intending to leave (OR, 0.80), not recommending their hospital (OR, 0.73), reporting high burnout (OR, 0.88), and reporting job dissatisfaction (OR, 0.85)."Physician burnout is a global crisis, but few actionable solutions have been identified," Aiken said in a statement. "Our study provides evidence that investing in nurses is a 'two-for-one' solution -- improving both nurse and physician well-being while also strengthening patient care."Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Investing in Nurses Reduces Physician Burnout

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