Nurses Report Improved Workplace Conditions in 2023 Versus 2022

TUESDAY, July 23, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Nurses reported improved workplace conditions in 2023 versus 2022, according to a study published online July 18 in JAMA Network Open.

Christopher R. Friese, Ph.D., R.N., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues sought to identify changes in practicing registered nurses' employment plans and workplace assessments between the 2022 and 2023 surveys. Analysis included participants in the Michigan Nurses' Study at two time points (Feb. 22 to March 1, 2022: 9,150 nurses; May 17 to June 1, 2023: 7,059 nurses).

The researchers found that 32.0 percent of nurses planned to leave their position in 2023 versus 39.1 percent in 2022. Among nurses planning to leave, 41.8 percent planned to leave their current employer but remain in nursing, with workloads cited as the most common reason (29.4 percent). Compared with 2022, respondents in the 2023 survey reported less workplace abuse or violence (50.2 versus 43.4 percent), fewer understaffed shifts (48.2 versus 41.0 percent), and less frequent use of mandatory overtime (18.7 versus 11.7 percent). Increased likelihood for planned departures was associated with workplace abuse or violence (odds ratio, 1.39) and higher emotional exhaustion scores (odds ratio, 3.05). Lower likelihood of planned departure was seen with favorable practice environments (odds ratio, 0.37) and excellent clinical setting safety ratings (odds ratio, 0.28).

"Health system leaders and policymakers should prioritize initiatives that support nurse retention and reduce potential workforce instability," the authors write.

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