Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) awarded the University of Pennsylvania a $1.42 million Project Grant on January 30, 2026, under the Nursing Research program (CFDA 93.361) to investigate the effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce hospital nurse burnout. The research will examine organizational characteristics as determinants of burnout and evaluate how currently implemented interventions—both organizational and individual-level strategies—correlate with hospital performance on nurse burnout metrics and individual nurse outcomes. The project will analyze preferred and implemented interventions across a geographically diverse hospital sample to identify which intervention combinations are most effective and determine whether effectiveness depends on specific organizational work environments. This research directly addresses the National Institute of Nursing Research's Special Interest Notice NOT-NR-23-012 on addressing organizational factors to prevent or mitigate nurse burnout.

The project extends through December 31, 2029, and will be conducted at the University of Pennsylvania's location in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The research responds to a critical healthcare safety concern, as nearly half of the nation's 4.7 million nurses currently experience burnout—significantly elevated from pre-pandemic rates of approximately 30%—with documented adverse consequences including higher patient mortality rates, increased failure-to-rescue incidents, prolonged length of stay, and elevated nurse turnover. The study integrates recent preliminary findings demonstrating that nurses prefer organizational interventions while analyzing how implemented interventions impact sustained burnout reduction over time.