Nurse Retention Amid Workplace Adversity: Examining Strategies and Outcomes

Abstract

Practice Problem: This project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse retention strategies in enhancing job satisfaction, focusing primarily on Emergency Department (ED) Registered Nurses (RNs). A comprehensive approach was adopted within the ED of a veteran hospital in the Southeast, aimed at promoting staff retention. PICOT: The PICOT question guiding this project is as follows: In a veteran hospital's Emergency Room (ER) located in the southeast (P), how does the implementation of nurse retention strategies (I) compared to current standards (C) increase their job satisfaction (O) over a period of ten weeks (T)? Evidence: This project relied on evidence from 11 articles. These investigated the impact of workload management, education, and nurse recognition on job satisfaction in a hospital setting. Intervention: The interventions involved 15-minute daily rounding sessions. Daily huddles and monthly focus groups were also practiced in addition to feedback sessions, and a recognition program. Outcome: Job satisfaction among ER nurses significantly improved after implementation of the project. This outcome suggests that workload management, recognition, and continued education can help promote job satisfaction among ER nursing staff. Conclusion: The project fostered a work environment that values knowledge sharing, workload management, and recognition. As a result, it improved job satisfaction among nursing staff and the implemented initiatives can be relied on to promote a good work environment.