What makes experienced nurses stay in their position? A qualitative interview study.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• High nursing turnover negatively impacts healthcare quality.
• Retaining experienced nurses is crucial for patient care.
• Understanding nurses' retention factors is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key factors influencing experienced nurses' intention to remain in clinical settings.
• To explore determinants of job satisfaction among experienced nurses.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving 28 experienced nurses.
• Data analyzed using inductive content analysis.

Main Results:

• Seven themes emerged: experienced nurse status, specialty importance, management support, professional challenges, collegial relationships, work-life balance, and organizational change.
• Factors influencing retention and satisfaction were diverse and not solely specialty-dependent.

Conclusions:

• Job satisfaction and intention to stay are influenced by multiple factors for experienced nurses.
• Nursing management significantly impacts nurse retention and job satisfaction.
• Findings inform strategies for enhancing nursing practice and retention policies.