The shortages of nurses in NSW: a motivation hygiene approach to identifying problems and solutions

For a number of years public hospitals in NSW have experienced high turnover figures for nursing staff and have been unable to recruit sufficient numbers of registered nurses back into hospital employment. This paper outlines factors on both the demand and the supply side which contribute to the present shortage. It then goes on to argue that a greater appreciation of the causes of the shortage, and strategies for its resolution, can be gained by presenting the issues from the perspective of Herzberg's Motivation--Hygiene Theory. 'Motivation' factors, providing satisfaction to nurses, include achievement and recognition, the work itself, responsibility, advancement and potential for personal growth. 'Hygiene' factors, producing dissatisfaction, include physical working conditions, employer policies and administrative practices, interpersonal relations, salary. Discussion of the issues from this perspective indicates that strategies to resolve the crisis must proceed on two fronts. Continuing efforts must be made to promote job satisfaction among nurses while at the same time reducing the incidence of factors promoting job dissatisfaction.