For the healthcare sector, nurse turnover—when nurses leave their positions or the profession—is a serious concern. Low nurse retention rates and a shortage of qualified nurses have a negative impact on several aspects of healthcare. Due to a high turnover rate among nurses, many facilities are experiencing a lack of clinicians. When nurses quit, hospitals and clinics use their resources to find, hire, and train new nurses to take their places. Nurse burnout and loss of productivity and intellectual capital are other consequences of nurse turnover.
Nursing jobs often stay vacant due to a high turnover rate, and registered nurses (RNs) experience overwork, stress, and dissatisfaction as a result. Stress at work is a common problem for RNs. In a survey by the American Nurses Association, three out of four nurses said that the effects of stress and overwork on their health were their top health concern.
Even though there is no one-size-fits-all way to make sure nurses are happy at work, there are a few nurse retention strategies that have been shown to help keep nurses and make a healthcare facility top-tier. This blog post will outline important workplace factors healthcare providers must consider to retain nurses and provide quality care.
Building a Positive Company Culture
Regardless of position, almost everybody values recognition in the workplace. Employees that receive recognition may feel more valued as members of the team, have more self-assurance, and be inspired to stay with their employer. Demonstrate to staff that you value and care about the work they accomplish. You could use nominations from coworkers, a mention in the company newsletter, or gifts as part of your program to thank employees.
A great business culture can draw in and retain qualified staff members. The culture of a workplace often has a direct effect on how productive employees are, how well they work together, how creative they are, how well they can solve problems, and how they act. Developing a culture that makes all employees feel supported and able to perform their job duties to the best of their abilities, with the resources they need to do so, is crucial to nursing management.
When your current employees appreciate the company culture, they are more likely to refer other professionals in their network to opportunities at your organization, which can increase the number of quality nurses you employ.
Collaboration and Communication Opportunities
Depending on the needs of the patient, nurses work closely with other nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals. To solve patient problems or improve the efficiency of the workplace and general patient care, nurses often collaborate with other departments. Even though these chances to work together might not be as obvious as the one between a nurse and a doctor, they can still help improve communication, awareness, skill development, and the quality of care.
When nurses are free to collaborate with individuals from other roles in the healthcare field, both workers can benefit from one another's experience and build stronger professional ties that will enable them to share ideas and ask each other questions. These discussions can improve patient outcomes.
The Role of Managers in Nurse Retention
Providing patients with high-quality treatment is one of a nurse's duties. Nurses can do this most effectively when they have access to the equipment, materials, and supplies they require. With the help of these tools, nurses will feel their employer's support and be able to do their jobs effectively and efficiently. For instance, a new technology that enables nurses to track their patients' progress more quickly may allow them to spend more time at the bedside.
As another way to give nurses the tools they need, a reasonable number of extra nurses can be hired to meet the needs of the floor or of certain departments. Nursing teams can almost always use more teammates since nurses often work closely together and help care for each other's patients when needed. This offers clinicians workload flexibility. The ability to take more frequent breaks enables clinicians to stay focused at work and reduce rates of medical errors, as they are better equipped to spend the appropriate amount of time with each patient. A reliable nurse is a good nurse—and a happy one to boot!
Professional Development and Education
By providing opportunities for advancement and professional development, you can retain your nursing staff. Simply making this option available to more nurses gives them more confidence that they can move up in their careers. Employers should offer training opportunities through webinars or workshops where nurses can learn things that will help them give better care to their patients. Also, leaders can encourage their nursing staff to go to conferences where they can network with other like-minded professionals and learn about current nursing trends and hot subjects.
Competitive Salary and Benefits
Since nurses are in high demand, many healthcare facilities offer competitive salaries, sign-on bonuses, and attractive pay packages that may include extra paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and other workplace perks. Even if employees generally enjoy their work, they should still be offered competitive salaries. If a nurse who benefits the company is salary-driven, you will probably be able to keep them by paying them well.
