Burnout, Turnover Among Emergency Nurses Alarmingly High

Journal of Emergency Nursing study identifies seven significant factors for ED nurse turnover 

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (July 13, 2023) – Emergency department nurses cite seven key factors leading to burnout and turnover, a new study in the Journal of Emergency Nursing shows. Those factors include insufficient staffing, physical demands, patient population, better pay elsewhere, length of commute and relocation.

Researchers compared two groups of nurses: those working in an ED setting and all other nurses to determine if emergency nurses experienced higher levels of burnout than other nurses. Although there were no statistically significant differences in pre-pandemic burnout levels, seven factors were identified as key reasons for turnover among emergency nurses. These factors were significantly higher for emergency nurses than other nurses.

“As always, each article in the Journal does a wonderful job highlighting the topics emergency nurses face daily,” said JEN Editor-in-Chief Anna Valdez, PhD, RN. “Burnout and turnover are at an alarming rate in emergency nursing, this study showcases some of the many causes that are contributing to that in the United States.”

Another study in the July issue found that the best way to mitigate workplace violence from patients/visitors involved using a multipronged approach. Researchers narrowed down thousands of studies to 24 to be included in their review to find effective, evidence-based interventions for mitigating workplace violence against ED staff. Various strategies including screening tools, de-escalation education, and environmental changes have been evaluated with positive results, but overall findings lack clear and concise direction for implementation.

Other articles in this issue include:

• “Implementing a Human Trafficking Educational Module and Protocol in the Emergency Department”
• “Telestroke Process at a Community Hospital: A Quality Improvement Project”
• “Meeting Patients Where They Are: A Nurse-Driven Quality Improvement Project to Provide Influenza Vaccinations in the Emergency Department”

###