The Silent Shift: A Narrative Review of "Quiet Quitting" and Professional Disengagement in the Nursing Workforce

Background: The nursing profession is facing an unprecedented workforce crisis. While "burnout" and "intention to leave" have been extensively studied, a new phenomenon termed "quiet quitting"—characterized by disengagement and fulfilling only minimum role requirements—has emerged, potentially representing a distinct and significant threat to healthcare quality and safety. Aim: This narrative review examines the phenomenon of quiet quitting in nursing, distinguishing it from burnout and turnover intention, and exploring its causes and effects on patient care. Methods: A narrative review methodology was employed, involving a comprehensive search of academic databases (CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus) for literature published between 2010 and 2025. Results: Quiet quitting in nursing is characterized by psychological and behavioral withdrawal, differentiating it from burnout and turnover intention. Key antecedents include perceived breaches in psychological contracts and a lack of organizational justice. High nurse disengagement is linked to negative patient outcomes, such as more medication errors and lower patient satisfaction. Strategies based on Social Exchange Theory and Job Demands-Resources Theory, like authentic leadership and structural empowerment, may help mitigate these issues. Conclusion: Quiet quitting represents a critical and distinct phase of workforce withdrawal that precedes turnover. It is a symptom of a failing organizational and systemic ecosystem, not a problem of individual moral failing. Future research must focus on developing validated instruments to measure disengagement and testing targeted interventions to foster re-engagement.