If organisations want to retain qualified nurses they need to tackle the different work factors that are important to the three key age groups and build on the strong attachment that many nurses feel to the profession.
Those are the key messages to emerge from a large-scale survey of nurses published in the January issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.
Australian researchers surveyed 900 nurses from seven private hospitals in four states, breaking them down into Baby Boomers (44 to 46 years), Generation X (29 to 43 years) and Generation Y (under 29).
The sample was representative of the nursing population in Australia. Most were women (96%), over 42 years of age, working as Registered Nurses (RNs) and doing between five and eight shifts a week.
“Our findings, which we believe may be applicable to many international hospitals, show that there is no single driver behind nurse retention” says co-author Dr Kate Shacklock, Senior Lecturer in Employment Relations and Human Resources at Griffith University, Queensland.
“Older nurses were more likely to be influenced by a larger number of factors than younger nurses and flexible working arrangements, which have been suggested by some as a possible solution to retention issues, were not deemed significant by any of the three age groups.
“Our findings confirm that there is no single driver behind nurse retention and that further research is necessary. However, one clear message emerges – that nurses feel a strong attachment to healing and to the nursing profession and this is a key factor influencing their intention to continue nursing.
Developed countries around the globe are currently suffering nurse shortages. For example, latest figures show that of the qualified nurses currently working in Australia, only 73% were employed in nursing.
Over half of the respondents (54%) were Baby Boomers, 38% were Generation X and 8% were Generation Y. Seven out of ten (69%) were RNs and the sample also included nurse unit managers, enrolled nurses and endorsed enrolled nurses.
Is your ‘strong attachment to healing’ what keeps you in the profession?
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I would suspect, that the ‘research’ conducted in the quoted study, did not reflect the ‘fear’ factor in Nursing …
What I mean by this, is that older staff are ‘fearful’ of their job security; their ability to get another job, should something go wrong with their current work situation.
Of course experienced RNs want to identify with the sense of ‘belonging’ to the world reknown profession of Nursing. However, if one is seen to be openly criticising that profession … of course that would or could be seen to be ‘unfavourable’ in the eyes of both employers and peers. ( yes, I’m doing that right now ! )
I would suggest, there is a potential ‘single’ factor that would drive Nurse retention in the workplace … RESPECT !!
Staff MUST be respected. Full stop.
Stop hounding us for vexatious and petty issues ( HCCC ).
Stop making it harder and harder to stay in the workforce ( AHPRA )
Stop bullying and intimidating staff, so that they feel there is no point in staying ( SNMs, NUMs, and even peers )
Even in adverse workplace conditions, some Nurses will continue on. They are either too ‘old’ to return to the open job market, and accept they must stay where they are, or risk becoming long term unemployed. Other Nurses put up with bullying and intimidation, because of similiar factors – age, poor job prospects elsewhere etc.
Unforunately, I must say, that I consider researchers decline to include such situations in their findings.