from the editor
from the editor
Study Reminds Us of the Need for Collaboration Between Nurses and Physicians
An international study finds that hospitals with better nurse staffing and work environments not only benefits nurses but is significantly associated with less physician burnout and job dissatisfaction. The research provides a clear solution to the global crisis of physician burnout, the authors say.
While nurses should never be used as a means to end, it’ s important to be reminded of the synergy between the two disciplines and-- especially for infection prevention and control – how they must work collaboratively.
A research team led by Penn Nursing’ s Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research( CHOPR), surveyed more than 6,400 physicians and 15,000 nurses across the United States and six European countries( Belgium, England, Germany, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden). The findings show that hospitals with better nurse staffing, supportive work environments, and effective interdisciplinary teamwork had substantially lower rates of physician burnout, job dissatisfaction, and intent to leave.
“ Physician burnout is a global crisis, but few actionable solutions have been identified,” says Linda H. Aiken, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN, professor of nursing and sociology and founding director of CHOPR.“ Our study provides evidence that investing in nurses is a‘ two-for-one’ solution— improving both nurse and physician wellbeing while also strengthening patient care.”
In U. S. hospitals, a modest 10 percent improvement in the nurse work environment including staffing adequacy was associated with a 22 percent reduction in physician intent to leave, a 25 percent reduction in physicians unwilling to recommend their hospital as a place to work, a 19 percent reduction in physician job dissatisfaction, and a 10 percent reduction in physicians experiencing high burnout.
In European hospitals, a 10 percent increase in nurse staffing adequacy was linked to 20 % percentlower physician intent to leave, 27 percent lower odds of not recommending their hospital, 15 percent lower physician job dissatisfaction, and 12 percent lower odds of high burnout.
Hospitals with stronger physician-nurse teamwork consistently reported better physician outcomes, Aiken emphasizes.
The results come at a critical time, as both physicians and nurses face unprecedented levels of stress, burnout, and turnover. According to the study, between 20 percent to 44 percent of physicians surveyed reported intentions to leave their hospital positions due to dissatisfaction, and up to 45 percent reported high burnout.
Improving nurse staffing and creating supportive work environments are the kinds of organizational reforms that are feasible if health systems value their entire occupational ecosystem, experts say.
Until next time, bust those bugs!
Kelly M. Pyrek Editor & Publisher Kelly @ healthcarehygienemagazine. com healthcarehygienemagazine
editor & publisher
president & cfo art director customer service manager
Kelly M. Pyrek kelly @ healthcarehygienemagazine. com
A. G. Hettinger, CPA Patti Valdez J. Christine Phillips
Send inquiries to: team @ keystonemediainc. com
Healthcare Hygiene magazine is published monthly by Keystone Media Inc. 8955 Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 500, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. Free digital subscriptions available at www. healthcarehygienemagazine. com for U. S., Canada and other foreign subscribers. Copyright © 2025 Keystone Media Inc. All rights reserved. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. Advertisers, and / or their agents, assume the responsibility for all content of published advertisements and assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the advertisement. Editorial contributors assume responsibility for their published works and assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the published work. All items submitted to Healthcare Hygiene magazine become the sole property of Keystone Media Inc. Editorial content may not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher.
6 • www. healthcarehygienemagazine. com • nov-dec 2025