Preparing a nursing department for downshifting

1. Downshifting is a movement away from intense job attention and a focus toward the family. Many individuals in all parts of America are shifting their focus away from materialism and financial prosperity, and toward a simpler lifestyle and homelier values. This increasing focus on family--rather than career--can also be seen in nursing. 2. Motivation to downshift because of decreasing interest in career is less likely when the employee is a nurse. However, rising emphasis on the hazards of latchkey children and the need for quality parenting have increased nurses' concerns about the effect of being out of the home for extended periods. 3. With today's nursing shortage, personnel policies must be responsive to the priorities of the prospective job applicant. To be desirable, an employer must appear responsive to personal needs. The national trend to make positions more compatible with home responsibilities must be incorporated in personnel strategies if nurses are to remain in nursing positions and be satisfied.