PRESS RELEASE: EM workers report job satisfaction, though burnout and staff retention remain major problems

Embargo: 00.01 hrs CEST Sunday 28 September 2025

Vienna, Austria: One of the largest international surveys into job satisfaction among emergency department workers has revealed that while the majority found their work satisfying and rewarding, there are still many areas where improvements are needed, according to research presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress today (Sunday) [1]. The paper, “Global Job Satisfaction Among Emergency Medicine Professionals: Results from the 2025 Emergency Medicine Day Survey”, is published today in the European Journal of Emergency Medicine. [2]

The survey, conducted by the EUSEM Emergency Medicine Day Working Group, received responses from 1,112 healthcare providers in 79 countries, and represents one of the largest and most comprehensive global assessments of emergency medicine (EM) workforce well-being to date. EM professionals face persistent challenges including excessive workloads, high pressure, shift/night work and emotional stress. While job satisfaction is essential for workforce sustainability, quality of patient care and staff retention, international data on this topic remain limited.

The average satisfaction score among participants was 25.37 out of 36 and reflected a generally positive sentiment, but Professor Luis Garcia-Castrillo from the Marquès de Valdecilla University Hospital, University of Cantabira, Santander, Spain, says career development opportunities, work organisation, and workload received relatively low scores.

“These are areas where action is needed urgently if specialist staff are to be retained and new team members recruited,” he says.

EM professionals working in high-volume emergency departments that received more than 100,000 visits a year reported significantly lower job satisfaction, as did those in mid-career with between five- and 20-years’ experience. While satisfaction did not vary significantly by gender, academic role, or hospital type, the survey highlights that nurses and paramedics reported higher satisfaction levels than physicians, particularly in workload and organisational aspects.

“Co-worker support, organisational commitment, and professional fulfilment were the most positively-rated factors. We also found that respondents intending to stay in their current role over the next year had significantly higher satisfaction scores, and this emphasises the important link between well-being and staff retention,” says Prof Castrillo.

“The very nature of EM means that it places high demands on staff, but we have shown that with professional support, good team work and a sense of purpose, such demands do not inhibit their enthusiasm for their work. But we cannot emphasise enough that strategies are needed to strengthen leadership, support mid-career staff, improve work-life balance and create clear professional growth opportunities. There are urgent red flags around the incidence of burnout, especially in departments with a very high patient demands,” says the paper’s first author, Professor Roberta Petrino, from the Ente Ospedaliere Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland.

The team plans to publish additional findings and to conduct further analyses of the data, including differences between countries and systems.

Emergency Medicine Working Group Chair, Dr Basak Yilmaz, from the Emergency Medical Services of Burdur Provincial Health Directorate, Burdur, Turkiye, says: “Our data are already sufficient to be useful to local and national EM bodies as a benchmark for improving staff retention and care quality. One of our most striking findings is the strong correlation between job satisfaction and professional retention. This is important, not just for individual staff members, but also for the sustainability of the EM system as a whole.”

(ends)

[1] “Emergency Medicine is a happy journey: the results of a global survey”, Emergency Medicine Day session, Sunday 28 September, 16:30 - 18:00 hrs CEST, Strauss rooms 2+3.

[2] DOI: 10.1097/MEJ.0000000000001272

Click Here to access the Journal

How ready is Europe for the next crisis? From pandemics to mass casualties, and even the realities of wartime medicine, the Presidential Sessions bring together global experts to share hard lessons, bold strategies, and a vision for a safer, more resilient Europe.

EUSEM2025: Exclusive Presidential Sessions 

Presidential Session #1

Sunday, 28 September | 16:30 – 18:00 | Schubert 4

Moderators:

• Robert Leach (Tournai, Belgium)

• Judith Tintinalli (Pittsboro, North Carolina, U.S.A.)

This first presidential session brings together international leaders to explore how Europe can strengthen emergency care and crisis response in the face of future challenges. Topics will include the World Health Organization’s vision for emergency care in Europe, lessons learned from managing mass casualties during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the European Union’s preparedness strategy for major health and security crises.

Speakers:

• Lee Wallis (Switzerland) – The WHO’s vision on Emergency Care for a future Europe

• François Braun (France) – Future mass casualty events: Lessons learned from the management of COVID-19 – France’s strategy

• Hans Das (Belgium) – The EU’s Preparedness Strategy: How Prepared is Europe?

Presidential Session #2

Monday, 29 September | 14:45 – 16:15 | Schubert 4

Moderators:

• Judith Tintinalli (Pittsboro, North Carolina, U.S.A.)

• Robert Leach (Tournai, Belgium)

The second presidential session shifts the focus to Europe’s readiness for conflict and large-scale crises. Experts will address the capacity of European healthcare systems to provide medical support during wartime, examine the role of NATO’s Joint Health Group, and discuss the European Union’s mechanisms for handling health crises at the supranational level.

Speakers:

• Gen Petter Iversen (Denmark) – Are European healthcare systems prepared to support large-scale combat operations and give medical care in wartime?

• Raed Arafat (Bucharest, Romania) – What is the role of the Joint Health Group at NATO?

• Lorena Boix Alonso (Canary Islands) – Dealing with health crises at EU level

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Sepsis remains a significant health concern across Europe, affecting an estimated 3.4 million individuals annually. The incidence rates are on the rise, with in-hospital mortality reaching approximately 24%, making sepsis one of the leading causes of death in European hospitals. Most patients diagnosed with sepsis are identified upon hospital admission, with over 80% receiving initial assessment and treatment in emergency departments (EDs). This highlights the critical yet challenging role of EDs in managing sepsis effectively.

In response, the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) introduced sepsis bundles in 2004 to streamline treatment protocols. These bundles, designed to prioritize key resuscitation measures, have evolved over time—from a 6-hour completion window to a 3-hour window, and most recently, a 1-hour bundle in 2018. While emphasizing timely intervention, these changes have increased pressure on emergency medicine physicians, especially since many patients are not transferred immediately to intensive care units (ICUs). Consequently, ED staff often need to implement all elements of the sepsis bundle, including fluid administration, blood culture collection, antibiotic therapy, lactate measurement, and vasopressor use, sometimes extending to complex ICU-level care when transfers are delayed.

The European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM) has expressed concerns about the feasibility of the 1-hour bundle, warning that strict time constraints could disrupt ED workflows. They advocate for focusing on evidence-based practices rather than rigid timing. Achieving timely treatment remains a challenge, particularly in elderly patients or those with nonspecific symptoms, and is compounded by overcrowded EDs with stretched resources. These factors contribute to variability in sepsis management across Europe.

Understanding how EDs implement sepsis protocols is crucial for identifying gaps and barriers. Such insights can support targeted training, resource allocation, and improved monitoring, ultimately enhancing sepsis care across European hospitals.

A recent survey ⁽¹⁾ conducted by EUSEM involved 402 EDs from 28 countries. Results showed that while most EDs (72.5%) had a sepsis protocol, fewer implemented regular monitoring or structured training. The majority found the 1-hour bundle challenging to execute, with only 55% completing all elements within the timeframe. Major barriers included high patient volumes, staffing shortages, and inconsistent sepsis definitions, which delayed recognition and treatment. Concerns about increased broad-spectrum antibiotic use following the bundle's implementation also emerged, underscoring the need for balanced antimicrobial stewardship.

Overall, the survey provides a benchmark for current practices and highlights areas for improvement, such as enhanced training, better monitoring systems, and adherence to evidence-based guidelines. Addressing these issues is essential for improving sepsis outcomes in European emergency departments.

(1) Current sepsis management practices in European emergency departments: the ISG-emergency department European Survey

Bolanaki, Myrto; Kurland, Lisa; Brabrand, Mikkel; Daniels, Ron; Govender, Kiren; Hanses, Frank; Innocenti, Francesca; Lassen, Annmarie; Martin-Loeches, Ignacio; Möckel, Martin;

European Journal of Emergency Medicine ():10.1097/MEJ.0000000000001255, July 11, 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/MEJ.0000000000001255 (https://journals.lww.com/euro-emergencymed/fulltext/9900/current_sepsis_management_practices_in_european.187.aspx)

Sharpen your clinical decision-making with Better Thinking in EM Practice, an accredited short eCourse from EUSEM.

Watch the engaging webinar which explores the role of cognition in diagnosis—how it works, where it fails, and how we can improve it.

Ideal for all healthcare professionals involved in patient care, the course provides practical insights into:

• The causes and impact of diagnostic error in Emergency Medicine

• A clear theoretical model of clinical cognition

• Strategies to enhance thinking and reduce diagnostic mistakes

• Steps to positively change clinical practice

After viewing the webinar, test your knowledge with MCQs and earn your certificate of completion. Gain valuable tools to think better, diagnose smarter, and improve patient outcomes.

Click Here to check it out now on our EUSEM Academy Page.

Be sure to check out the 2025 EUSEM Pre-Courses taking place in Vienna from 27–28 September! This year’s programme features a dynamic selection of hands-on, high-impact sessions designed to sharpen your skills, broaden your knowledge, and connect you with leading experts in emergency medicine.

Click here to check out our Brochure for a quick overview.

Click here to discover our courses in more detail & sign up.

What to Expect:

• ✅ Intensive, focused learning in small groups

• ✅ Real-world scenarios and simulations

• ✅ Cutting-edge topics in resuscitation, trauma, ultrasound, paediatrics, and more

• ✅ A unique chance to network with top-tier instructors and peers