More than half of the nurses in the Balearics want to leave their jobs

PalmaMore than half of nurses in the Balearic Islands intend to leave the profession, according to a study carried out by the Ministry of Health and the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), through Investén-ISCIII. The research, considered "the largest conducted in Spain" on this issue, concludes that 39.6% of nursing professionals in the State as a whole plan to leave their jobs in the next decade and that 17% consider doing so in just two years. The work warns that the Balearic Islands, along with Madrid, the Canary Islands, and Galicia, have more than double the probability of intending to leave compared to Navarra.

The study, published in the specialized journal Journal of Nursing Management, was conducted with the participation of more than 20,000 nurses from all autonomous communities and care settings. According to the Ministry of Health, the results point to a phenomenon "with potential structural impact on the sustainability of the National Health System".

The research identifies negative perceptions of patient safety and care quality as the main factors associated with the intention to leave the profession. Nurses who consider patient safety deficient are 81% more likely to want to leave the profession, while those who perceive low care quality have a 71% higher risk.

Among the work-related causes, the study particularly highlights precarious employment, which increases the probability of intending to leave by 33%. It also points to the omission of care due to lack of time, a situation reported by 60% of the surveyed professionals.

Regarding the reasons expressed by professionals considering leaving their jobs, the lack of job stability is the main reason, mentioned by 56.5% of participants. This is followed by little professional recognition, with 31.5%, and insufficient salaries, with 5.3%. Work overload was indicated by 3.5% of nurses.

The study also reveals a "gap" between the training level of nurses and the real conditions of professional practice. Currently, only 34.5% of specialist nurses work in the area corresponding to their specialty, while many are hired in generalist positions.

Researchers also detect differences according to the care setting. In Primary Care, not practicing as a specialist increases the risk of intending to leave by 56%, while working the evening shift raises this risk by 48% compared to the morning shift. In the hospital setting, shifts longer than seven and a half hours have a particularly negative impact, while 12-hour shifts are associated with lower levels of intention to leave the profession.

The Ministry of Health has framed this work within the Strategic Framework for Nursing Care 2025-2027 and considers that the results demonstrate the need to move towards work environments that are "more stable, safe, and professionally recognized" to ensure the quality and continuity of healthcare.