The relationship between effective nurse managers and nursing retention

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Leadership
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• National hospital nurse turnover rates exceed 20%, posing significant challenges for healthcare executives.
• Recruitment and retention of clinical nurses are critical for maintaining quality patient care and operational efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review nursing research on nurse manager leadership styles that positively impact nurse retention.
• To identify key leadership characteristics and organizational factors contributing to nurse job satisfaction and retention.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of nursing research studies.
• Analysis of studies focusing on nurse managers' leadership styles and their correlation with nurse retention.
• Synthesis of consistent themes from empirical evidence.

Main Results:

• Five themes consistently emerged as significant factors: transformational leadership style, extroverted personality traits, magnet hospital structures, nurse empowerment, autonomy, and group cohesion.
• These factors were linked to increased job satisfaction and improved nurse retention rates.
• Tenure and graduate education of nurse managers also showed a positive association with retention.

Conclusions:

• Strategic implementation of identified leadership traits and organizational structures can enhance nurse retention.
• Investing in nurse manager development and fostering supportive work environments are crucial for addressing turnover.
• Evidence-based strategies can guide hospital executives in creating sustainable plans for nurse retention and job satisfaction.