38% of nurses are planning to leave the bedside in 2022.

What can be done to improve nursing retention?

Nurses are tired of negative culture, no time off, lack of life balance, and not feeling appreciated by employers as well as patients and families. Nursing leaders are in a vicious cycle of bringing new nurses in while watching others leave. 

In a recent poll 48% of nurses reported they want to leave the bedside due to stress and burnout while another 43% cited lack of life balance as their primary reason for leaving. Clearly, nurses are in trouble.

Patient emergencies are managed by stabilizing (or attempting to stabilize) body systems that are failing. I believe nursing retention can only be improved by addressing current organizational systems that are failing. And two of the most vital systems failing are nursing culture and work environment. 

Recruiting new nurses to work in the same old work environment and negative culture is a recipe for disaster. Expecting current staff to remain in this space is setting the stage for failure. While I recognize we cannot wait to recruit new nurses while we revamp culture and work environment, I see the importance of a three pronged approach as follows: 

1. Improve nursing culture and work environment by investing in emotional intelligence and communication training for your team; 

2. Strengthen nurse retention efforts by having STAY interviews with current nurses and gaining insight into why they stay and what makes them consider leaving; and,

3.Recruitment - Interview and hire nurses in a new way that is based on proven personality science which allows you to fully understand the value set behavior traits of each candidate before hire.

If you're ready to learn more about how to give your nurses good reasons to stay, contact us. We can help.