Nursing Retention Through Leadership Development

The United States is facing a severe nursing shortage. Already, an estimated 8.5% of the nursing positions in the United States are unfilled, and some expect that number to triple by 2030 as 80 million baby boomers retire and expand the ranks of those needing care. There continues to be a shortage of registered nurses (RNs) with a possible predicted short fall of 36% by 2030 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), 2006). However, 49% of hospitals surveyed stated it was more difficult to recruit RNs in 2005 than it was in 2004 (American Hospital Association (AHA), 2006). Hospital staffing is a concern because of the effects a shortage has on patient safety and quality of care (Norman, et al 2005). Nurse retention focuses on preventing nurse turnover and keeping nurses in an organization’s employment. However, decisions about nurse turnover and retention are often made without the support of full and complete knowledge of their associated costs and benefits. Concerns about registered nurse's turnover become heightened during times of nurse shortages. Numerous experts view the current shortage as differing from previous shortages because it is compounded by reductions in the workforce from the retirement of older nurses. At the same time, the current nurse shortage also forces attention on the nature of nurses’ work environment including immediate supervisor, employers’ increased expectations from fewer nurses. This influences nurse retention, nurse staffing, and quality of nursing care (Jones, 2005) To foster staff retention, organizations need to develop environments in which nurses want to work. Among other things, nurses want safe workplaces that promote quality health care. “It’s the role of nurse executive manager to establish a work environment that supports professional practice,” says Pamela Thompson, CEO of American Organization of Nurse Executives. The Nursing Organization Alliance developed a set of principles to help hospitals and other healthcare entities create positive work environments. More than 40 organizations, including AONE, have endorsed the principles (Jones, 2005). This poster presentation will showcase the leadership development, steps of implementation, and outcomes for nursing retention. True efforts are needed to quantify the costs and benefits of nurse turnover and retention across different types of nurses, so as to determine the societal effects of nurse turnover and retention. Efforts are also needed to determine the mechanisms through which nurse turnover and retention contribute to the overall value of nursing. Unfortunately, none of these efforts will be easy. They will require discipline and the systematic development of related knowledge that contributes to these economic valuations.