Leaving from and returning to nursing practice: contributing factors

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Workforce Studies

Background:

• Global nursing shortages necessitate understanding nurse attrition and return-to-practice patterns.
• A significant number of nurses leave the profession, with some eventually returning after extended breaks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore factors influencing nurses' decisions to leave and return to practice after more than five years away.
• To identify key issues associated with nurse departures and re-entry into the profession.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative and qualitative study involving nurses who completed a Competency Assessment Programme in New Zealand.
• Data collection via mailed questionnaires (32 returned out of 70).
• Analysis using Microsoft Excel for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data.

Main Results:

• Key reasons for leaving nursing included personal factors, career changes, and adverse working conditions.
• Primary drivers for returning to practice were personal freedom, financial incentives, and a desire to complete unfinished professional business.
• Three significant factors emerged for both leaving and returning to nursing practice.

Conclusions:

• Collaboration between educators and employers is crucial for creating positive and flexible re-entry environments for returning nurses.
• Addressing the identified factors can help mitigate nurse attrition and support the retention of experienced nurses.
• Flexible re-entry programs are essential to accommodate the diverse needs of nurses returning to the workforce.