Abstract
Burnout is a pervasive and international “occupational phenomenon” in nursing, negatively impacting patient safety, quality of care, provider wellbeing, and nurse retention. A 2022 survey revealed nearly half of surveyed nurses experienced burnout, with over 600,000 expected to leave the workforce by 2027 due to stress and burnout (NCSBN).
A nursing research fellowship in robotics and innovation was built as an investment in the growth, creativity, and professional development of clinical nurses, enhancing bedside retention and satisfaction.
Launched mid-2024, the fellowship has promoted networking opportunities, interdisciplinary partnerships, and professional development for clinical nurses. Fellows spend 4 hours per week away from the bedside, getting time direct energy toward problem exploration, benefiting their home units and the institution. Weekly meetings cover topics ranging from research methods and robotics to health equity. Guest lecturers, conference attendance, and systemwide meeting attendance provide additional invaluable insight into nursing science while growing the fellows’ professional networks and returning them reinvigorated and ready to innovate at the bedside. Armed with new collaborative relationships, fellows have begun to construct a platform on which they can raise important issues.
Longitudinal surveys capture each fellow’s experience and quantify the fellowship’s impact on burnout, belonging, and their voice in the health system. Guest lecturer evaluations assess presenter effectiveness and topic relevance. Fellows aim to educate peers in a “train the trainer” model, where additional surveys will demonstrate the impact through presentations and their role as “subject matter experts”.
In its first year, the fellowship is helping to combat nursing burnout by empowering bedside nurses, promoting professional development, and increasing job satisfaction. Initial surveys show increased positivity towards nursing, sense of belonging, and reduced intent to leave. Fellows report improved research and leadership skills and expanded professional networks, positively impacting their units and the organization. To date, they have submitted 4 abstracts to national conferences with more planned under the guidance of mentors.
Through this fellowship, clinical nurses are reducing burnout and fostering professional growth by engaging in nursing research and sharing new knowledge and skills with peers, thereby maximizing organizational impact.
Notes
References:
Hibberts F, Hare N, Bench S. A research internship scheme for nurses and its wider implications for clinical managers. Nurs Manag (Harrow). 2024 Aug 1;31(4):22-28. doi: 10.7748/nm.2024.e2118. Epub 2024 Feb 28. PMID: 38415704.
Kelly LA, Gee PM, Butler RJ. Impact of nurse burnout on organizational and position turnover. Nurs Outlook. 2021;69(1):96–102.
Martin B, Kaminski-Ozturk N, O’Hara C, Smiley R. Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Burnout and Stress Among U.S. Nurses. J Nurs Regul. 2023 Apr;14(1):4–12.
Muir KJ, Wanchek TN, Lobo JM, Keim-Malpass J. Evaluating the Costs of Nurse Burnout-Attributed Turnover: A Markov Modeling Approach. J Patient Saf. 2022 Jun;18(4):351
NCSBN research projects significant nursing workforce shortages and crisis. NCSBN. (2023, April 13).
Russell K. Perceptions of Burnout, Its Prevention, and Its Effect on Patient Care as Described by Oncology Nurses in the Hospital Setting. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2016 Jan 1;43(1):103–9.
Shah MK, Gandrakota N, Cimiotti JP, Ghose N, Moore M, Ali MK. Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Nurse Burnout in the US. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Feb 4;4(2):e2036469.
Sullivan,B. Hughes, V., Wilson DR. Nursing Burnout and Its Impact on Health. Nursing Clinics of North America, March 2022, 57(1): 153-169.
Woo, T., Ho, R., Tang, A., & Tam, W. (2020). Global prevalence of burnout symptoms among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of psychiatric research, 123, 9–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.12.015
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Interprofessional Initiatives, Teaching and Learning Strategies, Stress and Coping, Burnout
Recommended Citation
Tallo, Morgan; Mitchell, Elizabeth; Shady, Kathryn; Rackie, Hannah; Abernathy, Briana; Patel, Kati; and Smith Birkhoff, Susan, "Combating Bedside Burnout with Research for Retention: An Innovative Fellowship Model" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 56.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/posters_2025/56
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Combating Bedside Burnout with Research for Retention: An Innovative Fellowship Model
Seattle, Washington, USA
Burnout is a pervasive and international “occupational phenomenon” in nursing, negatively impacting patient safety, quality of care, provider wellbeing, and nurse retention. A 2022 survey revealed nearly half of surveyed nurses experienced burnout, with over 600,000 expected to leave the workforce by 2027 due to stress and burnout (NCSBN).
A nursing research fellowship in robotics and innovation was built as an investment in the growth, creativity, and professional development of clinical nurses, enhancing bedside retention and satisfaction.
Launched mid-2024, the fellowship has promoted networking opportunities, interdisciplinary partnerships, and professional development for clinical nurses. Fellows spend 4 hours per week away from the bedside, getting time direct energy toward problem exploration, benefiting their home units and the institution. Weekly meetings cover topics ranging from research methods and robotics to health equity. Guest lecturers, conference attendance, and systemwide meeting attendance provide additional invaluable insight into nursing science while growing the fellows’ professional networks and returning them reinvigorated and ready to innovate at the bedside. Armed with new collaborative relationships, fellows have begun to construct a platform on which they can raise important issues.
Longitudinal surveys capture each fellow’s experience and quantify the fellowship’s impact on burnout, belonging, and their voice in the health system. Guest lecturer evaluations assess presenter effectiveness and topic relevance. Fellows aim to educate peers in a “train the trainer” model, where additional surveys will demonstrate the impact through presentations and their role as “subject matter experts”.
In its first year, the fellowship is helping to combat nursing burnout by empowering bedside nurses, promoting professional development, and increasing job satisfaction. Initial surveys show increased positivity towards nursing, sense of belonging, and reduced intent to leave. Fellows report improved research and leadership skills and expanded professional networks, positively impacting their units and the organization. To date, they have submitted 4 abstracts to national conferences with more planned under the guidance of mentors.
Through this fellowship, clinical nurses are reducing burnout and fostering professional growth by engaging in nursing research and sharing new knowledge and skills with peers, thereby maximizing organizational impact.
Description
Burnout in nursing is a global issue, affecting patient safety, care quality, and nurse retention. To address this, a nursing research fellowship in robotics and innovation was launched in mid-2024, promoting networking, interdisciplinary partnerships, and professional development, allowing nurses to recharge, engage in research, and share new knowledge, thereby reducing burnout and enhancing job satisfaction.