R-E-S-P-E-C-T: A Key to Nurse Retention.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Public Health

Background:

• Canada faces a long-standing and worsening nursing shortage, amplified by the recent pandemic.
• The current nursing crisis evokes parallels with the early 2000s, a period marked by significant advocacy efforts to avert a similar situation.
• A recurring theme in nursing literature and discourse is the pervasive 'lack of respect for nursing,' impacting the profession for over two decades.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the meaning of respect in nursing, drawing from literature of the past 20 years.
• To analyze the concept of respect from the perspective of nurses, incorporating their lived experiences and voices.
• To outline actionable implications for nurse leaders and administrators to foster a more respectful and supportive environment for nurses.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of key reports and publications concerning the nursing shortage and respect in nursing over the past 20 years.
• Analysis of nurses' voices and perspectives on respect, as expressed in literature and social media.
• Synthesis of findings to identify core components of meaningful respect in nursing practice.

Main Results:

• Meaningful respect for nurses is contingent upon recognition of their education, knowledge, values, and experience by leaders.
• Active engagement with nurses' input on decisions affecting their practice is crucial for fostering respect.
• The creation of quality practice environments, characterized by reasonable workloads and adequate resources, is essential for nurse retention.

Conclusions:

• Immediate, short-term strategies to address nurses' feelings of disrespect are vital for retaining the current workforce.
• Long-term planning and a multi-faceted approach are necessary to rectify the systemic issues contributing to the nursing crisis.
• Collaborative, ground-level strategies involving all nurses are imperative for building a sustainable and healthy nursing workforce for the future.