Nurse Retention Strategy - Utilization of Stay Interviews

Abstract

<p>Poster presentation</p> <p>Session J presented Saturday, September 16, 2017</p> <p>Purpose: The purpose of this project is to identify the most prevalent reasons that nurses choose to leave their place of employment and to explore strategies to retain them. This author examined the nurse staff retention, vacancy, and turnover rates of a nursing department at a community hospital in southern Wisconsin. The financial impact that this problem has on the hospital's budget is discussed. An evidence-based protocol to improve retention of nurses was identified, and strategies to reduce nurse turnover were developed.</p> <p>Design: Staff development project.</p> <p>Setting: A 300-bed community hospital in southern Wisconsin.</p> <p>Participants/Subjects: Nurse leaders.</p> <p>Methods: Literature review and nurse interviews.</p> <p>Results/Outcomes: <br />Increase communication between nurse leaders and nursing staff, provide nurse staff recognition, implement a Mentorship Program, conduct Stay Interviews, and offer flexible scheduling options, empower nurses. These recommendations are currently under reiew and have not been implemented at this time.</p> <p>Implications: There are many reasons why nurses leave their jobs, but what makes this a compelling issue is that many of these issues are preventable. Relationships, staffing, and personal issues were listed as some of the top issues that cause nurses to leave. Nursing engagement is closely linked to nurse retention. When nurses feel valued and invested, they are less likely to pursue employment elsewhere. Promoting autonomy, recognition, and communication are three key ways to keep nurses invested in their roles. Recommendations to improve the nursing environment include improvement in formal and informal channels of communication. Implementation of this author&rsquo;s recommendations will improve nurse engagement, decrease new graduate nurse turnover rates, and increase nurse retention.</p>