[Nurses' working conditions, health and well being in Europe (Nurses' Early Exit Study)]

Nurses' shortage and a high turnover cause concern in Europe. The Nurses' Early Exit Study (NEXT) is a cross-cultural and longitudinal project funded by the European Union to ascertain the reasons of these trends. Ten European countries and 56.406 nurses were involved. The goal was to analyze the relationship between working conditions and nursing workers' health. Data from 19.099 nurses were analyzed by means of descriptive and linear regression analyses. The nurses' perception of working conditions, classified by cluster analysis, resulted a good predictor of workers' health and well being and adequately reflected their real working and life conditions. The differences among countries are likely justified by cultural, socioeconomic and organizational variety. Interventions to reduce nurses' turnover must consider obstacles and facilitations in the professional development. Nurses' engagement in processes that impact on political, organizational and ergonomic choices is worthwhile.