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Related Experiment Videos

Nurses' views about returning to practice after a career break.

Mary Alison Durand1, Gurch Randhawa

  • 1The Institute for Health Services Research, University of Luton, Luton.

British Journal of Nursing (Mark Allen Publishing)
|May 2, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Returning nurses seek flexible hours and family-friendly policies. Addressing childcare costs and valuing staff are crucial for the National Health Service (NHS) to recruit nurses back to the profession.

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Area of Science:

  • Nursing
  • Healthcare Workforce Studies
  • Sociology of Professions

Background:

  • Nursing staff shortages necessitate the recruitment of former nurses. Understanding the motivations and barriers for nurses returning to practice is critical for workforce planning.
  • Career breaks are common in nursing, influenced by personal circumstances and professional perceptions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the reasons why nurses on career breaks choose to return or not return to practice.
  • To investigate the perceptions of the nursing role among nurses who have recently returned to the profession.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative study employing semistructured interviews.
  • Interviewed 24 nurses who had recently returned to practice and 28 nurses currently on a career break.

Main Results:

  • Nurses returned to practice when personal circumstances permitted, with many opting for flexible bank nurse positions.
  • Childcare costs were a significant barrier for some nurses considering a return to practice.
  • Returning nurses perceived the nursing role as increasingly demanding technologically and administratively, despite retaining its caring aspect.

Conclusions:

  • Flexible working arrangements, increased salaries, and demonstrating staff value are key priorities for the National Health Service (NHS) to attract nurses back.
  • Addressing financial barriers, such as childcare costs, and offering supportive work environments are essential for successful nurse recruitment and retention.

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