I have experienced high
turnover rates secondary to low staff morale in the acute care setting. Staff burnout was apparent and influenced by
many factors: heavy workload, low autonomy, relationship between leadership and
frontline staff, and perceived lack of recognition. Nursing staff verbalized feelings that they
were not appreciated by nurse management and were led to believe “everyone can
be replaced.” During a time in which
much change is taking place in health care, staff felt unheard and powerless. The turnover rate of the unit received much
scrutiny and investigation by the human resources department.
Aging
population, increasing nurse retirement, and the growth of complexity of
healthcare demands have affected nurse retention. Low staff retention affects the budget of
nursing units and the healthcare organization.
According to O'Brien-Pallas, Murphey, Shamian, Li, and Hayes (2010), the
cost of replacing a medical surgical nurse is $42,000 and the cost of replacing
a specialty nurse is $64,000 (p.1074).
Staff
turnover negatively impacts staff morale and group productivity. Decreased retention and increased turnover
rate negatively impact healthcare organizations and the quality of care
delivered. New employees have a lower
productivity than tenured staff. An
increased turnover rate threatens the quality of patient care delivered
(O’Brien-Pallas et al., 2010). Improving
job satisfaction and retention rates is a concern and responsibility of nursing
management.
Nurse
retention is influenced by leadership style and job satisfaction. The leadership style of the nurse manager
affects employee satisfaction. Job
satisfaction is influenced by many factors: autonomy, hours worked, workload,
ability to provide quality care, relationship with colleagues, and advancement
opportunities. The ability of management
to understand what makes nurses feel satisfied affects their ability to
facilitate satisfaction (Abualrub and Alghamdi, 2012).
Retention
of the nursing workforce is a top priority for nurse managers. Therefore, job satisfaction is a
responsibility of nurse managers.
According to Parker and Hyrkas (2011), a nurse manager must effectively
manage nurses while understanding the importance of staff satisfaction and the
effect on retention (p.568).
The roles and responsibilities of nurse managers are focused
on the needs of human beings. Nurse
satisfaction and patient outcomes must maintain priority in the practice of
management. During times of rapid change
in healthcare, managers must promote the growth and development of staff as
needs and opportunities change. A nurse
manager is responsible for the seamless management of the goals of the
organization and the needs of staff.
Abualrub, R. F., & Alghamdi, M.
G. (2012). The impact of leadership styles on nurses' satisfaction and intention
to stay among Saudi nurses. Journal of
Nursing Management, 20, 668-678.
O'Brien-Pallas, L., Murphey, G. T.,
Shamian, J., Li, X., & Hayes, L. J. (2010). Impact and determinants of
nurse turnover: A pan-Canadian study. Journal
of Nursing Management, 18, 1073-1086.
Parker, S., & Hyrkas, K.
(2011). Priorities in nursing management. Journal
of Nursing Management, 19, 567-571.
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