Sustaining the Nursing Workforce in Times of Crisis: A Case Study

The ongoing global nursing shortage has been acutely exacerbated in Lebanon by the severe economic crisis that began in 2019, leading to an alarming rise in nurse emigration and threatening the sustainability of healthcare delivery. This cross-sectional study evaluates the perceived value of monetary and non-monetary retention measures among nurses employed at a private hospital in Beirut. A structured survey, completed by 54 respondents, assessed ten key factors—including salary, work environment, professional development, and scheduling flexibility—under both normal and crisis conditions using a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses revealed that while salary remained the most highly valued factor, particularly during crisis, non-monetary measures such as workplace safety and stability were consistently rated as nearly equally significant. These findings underscore the critical need for health administrators and policymakers to adopt a multifaceted retention strategy that extends beyond financial incentives to include improvements in working conditions, especially in contexts of prolonged socio-economic instability.