Can a clinical skills facilitator improve staff retention in a children's hospital?

Clinical skills facilitators are experienced nurses responsible for staff education and support in a clinical area, where they are employed supernumerary to the team. This article discusses the implementation and evaluation of a pilot clinical skills facilitator role on a medical ward in a children's hospital in an NHS trust in England, aimed at improving the retention of nursing staff. A baseline survey was conducted at the start of the pilot and a follow-up survey was conducted at the end, nine months later. The surveys contained ten statements about three factors important for staff retention: clinical skills, job satisfaction and well-being at work. Improvements were seen in all ten statements and a review of staff retention data showed that no member of staff had left the ward in the year of pilot implementation, compared with four the year before. The development of clinical skills facilitator roles on children's wards is therefore of potential benefit for staff retention.