The speakers and panelists for the Dec. 16 event, titled "Strengthening the Nursing Workforce: Addressing Shortages, Burnout, and Patient Safety Through Better Work Environment," reflected a variety of stakeholder viewpoints, including nurses, Greek health officials and scholars, Columbia Nursing Professor Lusine Poghosyan, and Columbia Global Center Athens Director Stefanos Gandolfo.
The experts emphasized that nurses are becoming increasingly disengaged and are "quiet quitting" due to poor working conditions, unclear career pathways, limited professional autonomy, and high emotional demands. They described solutions that have been shown to be effective and cost-effective, such as investing in nurse retention and healthier work environments.
Conversations also highlighted the urgent need to modernize nursing education to better align with workplace realities, integrate administrative and leadership skills, and reduce stigma around seeking mental health support. By combining international research and best practices, the event put a spotlight on the links between workforce well-being, the need for curriculum reform, and change in leadership models.
