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Nurse burnout as a public health issue and Its impact on patient care quality. A narrative review
 
Więcej
Ukryj
1
Individual Nursing Practice, Szczecin, Poland
 
2
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Poland
 
 
Data nadesłania: 07-04-2026
 
 
Data ostatniej rewizji: 23-06-2026
 
 
Data akceptacji: 29-06-2026
 
 
Data publikacji online: 02-07-2026
 
 
Autor do korespondencji
Dominika Szynal   

Individual Nursing Practice, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; email: dominiczka@vp.pl
 
 
Tomasz Olszowski   

Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; email: tomasz.olszowski@pum.edu.pl
 
 
 
SŁOWA KLUCZOWE
DZIEDZINY
STRESZCZENIE
Occupational burnout among nurses is a significant public health issue. It affects both nurses’ well-being and the quality of patient care. The aim of this narrative review is to provide a comprehensive synthesis of four key aspects of occupational burnout among nurses, namely its prevalence, determinants, consequences for patient care and mental health, and available prevention strategies. Literature was identified through searches of PubMed and Google Scholar. Articles published in English between 2015 and 2026 were reviewed and selected according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Burnout develops through the interaction of organizational, psychosocial, and individual factors. The most important contributors include work overload, staffing shortages, low autonomy, psychosocial stress, personality traits, and health status. Higher burnout levels are associated with increased medical errors, patient falls, and missed nursing care. Burnout also contributes to lower patient satisfaction and poorer perceived quality of care. Prolonged stress increases the risk of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, reduced psychological resilience, and intentions to leave the profession, negatively impacting nurses’ quality of life and social functioning. Effective preventive and therapeutic strategies include mindfulness-based programs, cognitive-behavioral therapy, physical exercise, and resilience training. These interventions may be delivered both in person and digitally. Their effectiveness improves in supportive environments with allocated participation time and leadership engagement. Interventions at individual, team, and system levels reduce emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, enhance staff well-being, and improve patient safety. In the context of a global nursing shortage and increased workloads following the COVID-19 pandemic, multi-level strategies to prevent occupational burnout are essential for protecting nurses’ mental health and maintaining high-quality healthcare. The review highlights the importance of multi-level preventive interventions to reduce burnout and improve healthcare outcomes.
eISSN:2451-2311
ISSN:0035-7715
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