Date of Conferral
6-24-2025
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Management
Advisor
Brenda Jack
Abstract
Nurse turnover has become a critical concern in healthcare, as low retention rates lead to decreased patient care quality and increased operational costs. A critical issue for hospital stakeholders is that many nursing leaders lack strategies to improve nursing retention. Grounded in the leader-member exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore successful leadership strategies used by nurse managers in the Pacific South region of the United States to improve nurse retention. The study included interviews with six nurse managers who successfully implemented retention strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and publicly available documents. Through thematic analysis, three themes were identified: leadership involvement, communication, and flexible scheduling and work-life balance. A key recommendation is for nurse managers to prioritize leadership training that fosters trust, collaboration, and individualized support to address retention challenges. The implications for positive social change include the potential for nurse managers to implement effective retention strategies, thereby improving workplace conditions, patient care quality, and nursing workforce stability
Recommended Citation
Rickerson, Jennifer Triggs, "Identifying and Exploring Successful Leadership Strategies to Improve Nurse Retention" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 18009.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/18009
