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A qualitative study of experienced nurses' voluntary turnover: learning from their perspectives

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  • Dana Hayward
  • Vicky Bungay
  • Angela C Wolff
  • Valerie MacDonald

Abstract

Aims and objectives The purpose of this research was to critically examine the factors that contribute to turnover of experienced nurses' including their decision to leave practice settings and seek alternate nursing employment. In this study, we explore experienced nurses' decision‐making processes and examine the personal and environmental factors that influenced their decision to leave. Background Nursing turnover remains a pressing problem for healthcare delivery. Turnover contributes to increased recruitment and orientation cost, reduced quality patient care and the loss of mentorship for new nurses. Design A qualitative, interpretive descriptive approach was used to guide the study. Methods Interviews were conducted with 12 registered nurses, averaging 16 years in practice. Participants were equally represented from an array of acute care inpatient settings. The sample drew on perspectives from point‐of‐care nurses and nurses in leadership roles, primarily charge nurses and clinical nurse educators. Results Nurses' decisions to leave practice were influenced by several interrelated work environment and personal factors: higher patient acuity, increased workload demands, ineffective working relationships among nurses and with physicians, gaps in leadership support and negative impacts on nurses' health and well‐being. Ineffective working relationships with other nurses and lack of leadership support led nurses to feel dissatisfied and ill equipped to perform their job. The impact of high stress was evident on the health and emotional well‐being of nurses. Conclusions It is vital that healthcare organisations learn to minimise turnover and retain the wealth of experienced nurses in acute care settings to maintain quality patient care and contain costs. Relevance to clinical practice This study highlights the need for healthcare leaders to re‐examine how they promote collaborative practice, enhance supportive leadership behaviours, and reduce nurses' workplace stressors to retain the skills and knowledge of experienced nurses at the point‐of‐care.

Suggested Citation

  • Dana Hayward & Vicky Bungay & Angela C Wolff & Valerie MacDonald, 2016. "A qualitative study of experienced nurses' voluntary turnover: learning from their perspectives," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(9-10), pages 1336-1345, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jocnur:v:25:y:2016:i:9-10:p:1336-1345
    DOI: 10.1111/jocn.13210
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    1. Sastrawan Sastrawan & Jennifer Margaret Newton & Gulzar Malik, 2019. "Nurses’ integrity and coping strategies: An integrative review," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(5-6), pages 733-744, March.
    2. Mary Van Osch & Kathy Scarborough & Sarah Crowe & Angela C. Wolff & Sheryl Reimer‐Kirkham, 2018. "Understanding the factors which promote registered nurses’ intent to stay in emergency and critical care areas," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(5-6), pages 1209-1215, March.
    3. Yi-Chuan Chen & Yue-Liang Leon Guo & Wei-Shan Chin & Nai-Yun Cheng & Jiune-Jye Ho & Judith Shu-Chu Shiao, 2019. "Patient–Nurse Ratio is Related to Nurses’ Intention to Leave Their Job through Mediating Factors of Burnout and Job Dissatisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-14, November.
    4. Jeonghee Hong & Misoon Kim & Eunyoung E. Suh & Sangwoon Cho & Soyoung Jang, 2021. "Comparison of Fatigue, Quality of Life, Turnover Intention, and Safety Incident Frequency between 2-Shift and 3-Shift Korean Nurses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-13, July.
    5. Oumou Salama Daouda & Mounia N Hocine & Laura Temime, 2021. "Determinants of healthcare worker turnover in intensive care units: A micro-macro multilevel analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(5), pages 1-13, May.
    6. Ya‐Ting Ke & Joel F. Stocker, 2019. "On the difficulty of finding one’s place: A qualitative study of new nurses’ processes of growth in the workplace," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(23-24), pages 4321-4331, December.
    7. Jison Ki & Jaegeum Ryu & Jihyun Baek & Iksoo Huh & Smi Choi-Kwon, 2020. "Association between Health Problems and Turnover Intention in Shift Work Nurses: Health Problem Clustering," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-12, June.
    8. Jeong Hye Park & Min Jung Park & Hye Young Hwang, 2019. "Intention to leave among staff nurses in small‐ and medium‐sized hospitals," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(9-10), pages 1856-1867, May.
    9. Xiaorong Luan & Ping Wang & Wenxiu Hou & Lili Chen & Fenglan Lou, 2017. "Job stress and burnout: A comparative study of senior and head nurses in China," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(2), pages 163-169, June.

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