Burnout, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention Among Primary Care Nurse Practitioners with Their Own Patient Panels

Abstract

Background: Nurse practitioners (NPs) can enhance NP care and improve access to care by independently managing their patient panels. Yet, its impact on workforce outcomes such as burnout, job satisfaction, and turnover intention remains unexplored

.Purpose: To estimate the impact of NP panel management on workforce outcomes.

Method: Structural equation modeling was conducted using survey data from 1,244 primary care NPs. NP panel management was categorized into co-managing patients with other providers, both co-managing and independently managing, and fully independent management.  Findings: Independent management led to more burnout than co-managing (B=0.092, BC 95% CI [0.030, 0.153]). Work hours partially (28%) mediated this relationship. No significant differences were observed in job satisfaction or turnover intention depending on NP panel management.

Discussion: NPs’ greater independence in panel management may result in increased burnout, partially due to work hours. Interventions to reduce excessive work hours could help NPs deliver quality care without burnout.

Note:

Funding Information: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Grant number: R01MD011514-01.

Conflict of Interests: All authors have no financial/personal interests or beliefs that could be considered to influence an author’s objectivity.

Ethical Approval: STUDY20090024 approved by the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board.

Keywords: nurse practitioner, primary care, independence, panel management, workforce outcomes