Building a strategy for the recruitment and retention of nurses in healthcare: A contemporary issue

Abstract

The global nursing shortage is a critical issue in healthcare. In this brief contemporary issue, we will present insights originating from a quality improvement project. The project included the planning and execution of a comprehensive strategy designed to recruit and retain nurses. Our aim with this issue is to inspire and guide other healthcare leaders. The quality improvement project sought to reduce vacancies, lower turnover rates, boost job satisfaction, and improve patient care assessments. Addressing the nursing shortage requires healthcare leaders to develop effective strategies for both recruitment and retention. The project, conducted in a Danish Neurological Department between October 2021 and June 2023, supported us to assess the potential impacts of our developed strategy. Although we could observe positive trends, the design limitations of a quality improvement project prevent us from definitively attributing these outcomes to our developed strategy alone. However, by sharing our experiences, we hope to inspire and provide actionable insights for other healthcare leaders facing similar challenges.