Nurse Leaders and Shared Governance Partner to Reduce Burnout-Nurse Leaders and Shared Governance Partner to Reduce Burnout

Nurse Leaders and Shared Governance Partner to Reduce Burnout

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Margie Kajelin and Bridget Manz from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital shared how they reduced nurse burnout by treating it as a system problem, not an individual weakness. Using a validated burnout scale and open-ended surveys, they identified key stressors such as understaffing, workload, documentation burden, leadership issues, and lack of voice. Shared governance was central: nurses helped design the survey, interpret results, and create interventions. Actions included improving staffing processes, strengthening recognition programs, expanding leadership development, enhancing EPIC training, and offering flexible education on communication, empathy, and boundary setting. Their 2023 baseline showed 56.4% of nurses at burnout levels 3–5; by 2024, burnout in those levels fell by 24%, with the highest-risk groups improving most. They emphasized ongoing assessment, transparency, and low-cost recognition efforts as burnout drivers change over time.

Keywords

nurse burnout

shared governance

staffing shortages

burnout scale

leadership development

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital