EU study blames long shifts for nurse burnout

An international nursing study has linked long shifts to increased burnout but nurses in Ireland say staffing levels and workloads are mainly to blame.

The survey of more than 31,000 nurses in 12 European countries, including Ireland, found that working 12 hours or more is associated with a heightened risk of burnout and job dissatisfaction.

Long shifts were particularly common in Ireland and England, according to the research published in the online journal BMJ Open.