[Management of turnover of nursing personnel: descriptive study]

The strategies of management of the turnover of nursing personnel have been explored in 5 hospitals of the Veneto region. A questionnaire distributed to 200 permanent staff nurses moved for different reasons to another ward during the year 1998, was returned by up to the 62.5% of the recipients. Sixty nurses changed the ward at their request, 18 had to move only for work reasons and 47 for a combination of both reasons. The main reasons (50%) for moving nurses for work reasons (18/125) is the lack of personnel or the restructuration or closure of wards with reduction of the number of beds (50% of the moves). Professional development and acquisition of new competences and skills is the main reason (42%) for nurses who ask to change ward at their request. The reasons for changing the ward are obscure for 1/3 of nurses moved for work reasons. Overall mobility is valued as opportunity for professional development, but it is suggested it should be mainly at personnel's request and after an evaluation of the curriculum.