The latest Michigan Nurses Study revealed that while conditions for nurses improved in 2023 compared to the previous year, burnout, understaffing, and workplace abuse remain high. The study found that nearly half of nurses reported experiencing abuse in the workplace within the last year. Additionally, 32% of those surveyed planned to leave their jobs, down from 39% in 2022, with 13% of them planning to exit the nursing profession entirely.
The study, conducted by Christopher Friese, highlighted the concerns over younger nurses leaving the profession, with 18% planning to reduce their hours and 7% considering travel nursing. Reasons cited for leaving included workload, management, pay, and benefits. However, fewer nurses reported exhaustion and mandatory overtime compared to the previous year. Despite the challenges, COVID-19 was not a common reason for leaving.
Despite the improvements observed, Friese emphasized that health care institutions need to address nurse retention issues as many nurses plan to reduce clinical hours. This could require facilities to recruit more personnel to meet staffing needs. He suggested that health care systems focus on retaining nurses by implementing policies that reduce burnout and address workplace concerns.
U-M health economist Olga Yakusheva proposed a new funding model that incentivizes hospitals to fill nursing vacancies. Her research, published in Health Affairs, suggests that a change in funding could encourage hospitals to prioritize nurse retention. The Michigan Nurses Study’s findings were published in JAMA Network Open on July 18.
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