Nursing turnover: literature review and methodological critique

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Studies
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Nursing turnover presents substantial challenges to healthcare systems, affecting costs, patient care capacity, and quality.
• Numerous investigations into nursing turnover exist, yet findings are often conflicting.
• Methodological inconsistencies in defining, measuring, and reporting nursing turnover complicate study comparisons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current understanding of nursing turnover from an organizational viewpoint.
• To examine methodological considerations in nursing turnover research.
• To address the confusion arising from disparate study methodologies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on organizational perspectives of nursing turnover.
• Analysis of methodological approaches used in nursing turnover research.
• Inclusion of relevant non-nursing studies for methodological guidance.

Main Results:

• Conflicting findings are prevalent in nursing turnover literature.
• Lack of standardized definitions and measurement strategies hinders comparability.
• Historical reliance on non-nursing research methodologies is evident.

Conclusions:

• Understanding nursing turnover requires addressing organizational factors.
• Standardizing research methodologies is crucial for clearer insights.
• Improved study design and reporting can reduce confusion in nursing turnover research.