Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Barbara Niedz
Abstract
Retaining a robust nursing workforce is essential to care delivery. As the generation gap in the nursing field widens, retention strategies that align with the current nursing workforce must be considered. Rapid turnover is a looming concern as baby boomers retire and millennials become the leading generation in the nursing workforce. Nurse leaders must identify and deploy strategies that will provide a meaningful work environment to retain nurses in this majority group. The purpose of this project was to address the gap in practice of rising turnover, low nurse engagement, and reliance on premium labor to deliver care. The sources of evidence from 5 hospitals included RN engagement survey results, RN turnover data, premium labor usage trends, and themes from stay interviews. The context, input, process, and product model was used for program evaluation in the four dimensions. Findings of the retrospective review were RN engagement over the 3-year period decreased but returned to prepandemic levels, RN turnover especially in millennials continued to increase, and the requirement for use of premium labor escalated. The stay interviews generated themes such as team, leadership, learning, work environment, and advancement opportunities. An increased focus on these themes is recommended to reduce turnover and improve engagement. Findings may be used to ensure an adequate, engaged nursing workforce for the future of health care to achieve equitable, quality health outcomes and consumer access to care. The stability of the nursing workforce is essential to promote safe nursing practice.
Recommended Citation
Higgins, Jennifer, "Retention Strategies for the Current Nursing Workforce" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13425.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13425
