We should address nurse turnover mitigation strategies as we continue to share the impact and benefits of professional partnerships across academia and practice. Most documented reasons for nursing turnover include not feeling appreciated, long shifts, poor orientation leading to lack of competence, and negative workplace culture. Unfortunately, many novice nurses do not stay in their new role after 3-5 years of nursing. With that being said, the nursing shortage is likely to get worse. Without forward-thinking strategies to combat nursing turnover, the nursing shortage may become a global concern for optimal population health (Hallaran et al.,2023; Fleming, 2023).
NAM Key Message One: “Nurses Should Practice to the Full Extent of Their Education and Training, and Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression” (NAM, 2021, p.23). With ongoing partnerships, seamless academic progression can occur through peer mentoring programs and solid educational/clinical pipeline partnerships. We can continue to build a robust foundation for nurses to practice to the full extent of their education and training in rural and urban settings (NAM, 2021). For example, encouraging academic and practice programs to partner DNP/Ph.D. with new nurses in ambulatory care settings and acute care settings to support nurses to practice to the full extent of their education and training may impact professional growth and internal satisfaction on behalf of those involved (NAM, 2021).
Academia continues to support community-based programs served by those obtaining higher-level degrees. However, to close this gap, ensuring that novice nurses are included in large-scale project-based programs may help ensure nurse retention. Have teams considered stacked academic mentorship after graduation to create a safe space or touch point for these at-risk populations? This could also inform gaps in academic training with the ongoing changes in the clinical environment. Have teams invited the tenured operational leaders in practice settings to share gaps that need addressing before transitioning to practice? In a recent study in Nurse Leader, “key findings of a mentor program titled the ReSPeCT study indicated a benefit to a two-year internal program. When reviewing the data by cohort, NGN mentees who received mentorship for <2 years did not believe mentorship impacted their decision to remain in nursing, with the greatest benefit being between 1 and 2 years” (Gularte-Rinaldo et al., 2023). Would a follow-up with an academic mentor fill this gap? Would an extended mentorship assist in this transition? These are all resource constraints we face in both academia and practice.
This post will briefly share peer feedback and experiential mitigation strategies for decreasing nurse turnover through building ongoing partnerships across academia to support nurses to practice to the full extent of their education.
Mitigation Strategies
1) Foster leadership acumen
- Frequent touchpoints with academic teams and operational leaders
- Create professional development offerings or open discussion idea-sharing
- Shared publications and projects
- Ensure all voices are at the table to make decisions, from graduate nurses to executive leadership.
- Encourage generational considerations within the nursing educator workforce.
- Address workplace bias and discrimination at all levels of healthcare management.
- Implement training and policies to promote and sustain effective communication within the workforce using innovative technology tools or applications.
- Unite like-minded stakeholders to create and plan multi-site projects.
- Empower professional growth and development at all levels of nursing.
- Allow novice nurses to lead projects and educational initiatives.
- Support and get involved with Professional Nursing Associations
2) Create fulfilling relationships
- Get out of the nursing silo and create a community of multi-disciplinary, inter-professional partnerships with dieticians, social workers, and other professional healthcare partners.
- Work with others with the same interests as you do, even if they are non-licensed.
- Form a task force or planning team that includes community stakeholders.
- Consider community events that bring academic, clinical, and community partners together.
- Promote ongoing peer feedback and learning needs identification for stakeholders.
3) Promote well-being
- Leverage shared governance to create a model of well-being for your academic or practice environment.
- Ensure awareness of well-being initiatives and discount programs for all staff.
- Create an environment that allows a safe space for employees or communities to access resources for well-being, including mental health, child care, and financial assistance programs.
Call to Action
Mitigation involves policy engagement, stakeholder buy-in, frequent touchpoints, collaboration across disciplines, and shared governance models. Nursing turnover is costly for healthcare systems and frustrating for both academic teams and nurses in the workforce. This ultimately impacts the value of the nursing workforce and patient outcomes. As you collaborate, make it purposeful and impactful for nurses and those we serve within the healthcare population. The best approach is to be proactive and to leverage technology. Creating a multi-level approach to care and support in the ever-changing healthcare landscape can only impact satisfaction and patient outcomes, improving public health.
References:
Fleming, K. (2023). Reducing staff turnover through the implementation of a peer mentoring program. Nursing Management, 54(1), 32-39.https://journals.lww.com/nursingmanagement/citation/2023/01000/reducing_staff_turnover_through_the_implementation.6.aspx
Gularte-Rinaldo, J., Baumgardner, R., Tilton, T., & Brailoff, V. (2023). Mentorship ReSPeCT Study: A Nurse Mentorship Program’s Impact on Transition to Practice and Decision to Remain in Nursing for Newly Graduated Nurses. Nurse Leader, 21(2), 262-267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2022.07.003
Hallaran, A. J., Edge, D. S., Almost, J., & Tregunno, D. (2023). New nurses’ perceptions on the transition to practice: A thematic analysis. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 55(1), 126-136. https://doi.org/10.1177/08445621221074872
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAM). https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/the-future-of-nursing-2020-2030#:~:text=The%20ultimate%20goal%20is%20the,designed%20to%20work%20for%20everyone
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAM). 2021. The future of nursing 2020–2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25982
Authorship
Amanda Garey, Ph.D., RN, NPDA-BC, EBP-C
Assistant Professor
University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing
1100 Mechanic St, Galveston, TX 77550
Email: amgarey@utmb.edu
Sharisse A. Hebert, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Assistant Professor
Prairie View A&M College of Nursing DNP Program Coordinator
6436 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030
Phone: (713) 797-7050
Email: sahebert@pvamu.edu