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Nurses' Experiences, Employment Decisions and Support Needs in Nonpermanent Roles: A Scoping Review
Anthony Thomas Snow1,2, Lyn Taylor1, Thomas Aaron Ricks1,3
1School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia, acu.edu.au.
Aim(S):
To identify factors influencing nurses' decisions to engage in nonpermanent work, examine their reported professional experiences, and map organisational support needs across non-permanent employment arrangements.
Background:
Healthcare systems increasingly use nonpermanent nurses to maintain service capacity amid persistent workforce shortages and fluctuating staffing demands. Evidence on nurses' employment decisions, professional experiences and organisational support needs remains dispersed across nonpermanent employment arrangements and healthcare settings.
Evaluation:
This scoping review followed Joanna Briggs Institute guidance. Five electronic databases, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE Complete, APA PsycINFO, Scopus and Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, were searched in November 2025 and updated in October 2026. Eligible English-language empirical studies examined qualified nurses' experiences in nonpermanent roles across healthcare settings. Extracted textual findings from qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies were synthesised using inductive qualitative content analysis.
Key Issue(S):
Thirty-one studies were included, comprising 13 quantitative, 16 qualitative and two mixed methods studies. Five analytic categories addressed professional development and career impact; employment motivations; belonging, recognition and identity; workplace constraints and psychological burden; and organisational support needs. Nurses valued flexibility, financial benefits and varied clinical experience, while reporting employment insecurity, inconsistent orientation and support, exclusion and restricted access to professional development.
Conclusion(S):
Nonpermanent nursing offers valued flexibility alongside variable professional experiences and organisational support. The review identifies recurring support needs but does not establish the effectiveness of specific organisational interventions.
Implications For Nursing Management:
Organisational priorities identified across the evidence include structured, context-specific orientation, clear communication and escalation pathways, accessible clinical support, professional recognition and equitable access to feedback and development opportunities.
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