Feeling Valued as a Mid-Career Nurse: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• The nursing profession faces significant shortages, intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Nurse retention is a critical issue impacting healthcare system stability and quality of care.
• Mid-career nurses represent a vital, experienced segment of the workforce whose retention is paramount.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of factors influencing how mid-career nurses feel valued.
• To identify actionable strategies for improving mid-career nurse satisfaction and retention.
• To highlight areas for future research, particularly concerning nurse-manager relationships.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review methodology was employed.
• Literature search across multiple databases to identify relevant studies.
• Synthesis of findings related to intrapersonal, interpersonal, and external factors affecting nurse valuation.

Main Results:

• Multiple factors, categorized as intrapersonal, interpersonal, and external, significantly impact how mid-career nurses perceive their value.
• Feeling valued is strongly correlated with increased job satisfaction and intent to remain in the nursing profession.
• Mentoring and professional development initiatives emerged as key strategies for enhancing nurse valuation.

Conclusions:

• Nursing professional development practitioners play a crucial role in fostering environments where mid-career nurses feel valued.
• Implementing targeted mentoring and professional development programs for both nurses and managers can improve retention.
• Further investigation into the dynamics of the mid-career nurse-nurse manager relationship is essential for effective retention strategies.