Nurse Retention: What Nurses Really Want

The 2023 Nurses Week is on the horizon, and lately many nurses have not been feeling the love. Nurse retention and burn out has been a hot topic amongst hospital management and the nursing community. So what do nurses really want? Here are 3 things that could improve job quality and keep nurses at the bedside!

1. Safe Nurse to Patient Ratios:

Safe ratios can improve job quality for the nurse and improve care outcomes for patients. As nurses, we do not want to feel pulled in several different directions because we are forced to care for more patients than we can handle. This is also unsafe for patients. However, it is not enough for facilities to just promise safe ratios, we need laws to back nurses. California is one of the few (if not only) states that has implemented laws that require hospitals and other facilities to adhere to specific nurse to patient ratios. However, this should be standard across the country.

2. Adequate Pay:

During the pandemic, hospitals across the nation paid out an enormous amount to travel nurses. Three years later, the units are still full of travelers. Now, I don't fault those who left staff positions for travel assignments. The pay was great. However, many nurses would have remained at their jobs if they had been properly compensated for the extra burden COVID placed on the shoulders of many. Not to mention, there has also been a huge spike in the cost of living in every state.

3. Better Management

Nurses want to be heard and know that their concerns will be addressed. We don't need management to put a bandaid (pizza party) over real unit issues. Nurses often feel like complaints made typically go ignored, and it seems their administrators do not care. They're treated as if they are just "bodies" that are there to balance the numbers. It's time for management to stand and support their staff and work to resolve unit issues, instead of treating their staff like they are easily replacable. Because, truthfully, hardworking, dedicated, skilled professionals are becoming a rarity today. Experienced core nurses are needed in order to help support future novice nurses. All facility/ hospital staff and administrators should be operating as a team with a common goal in mind. And that is to give the best possible care to our patients. Sometimes improving patient care means improving staff care. This means being available to your staff, supporting them in stressful situations, standing up against racism and other forms of prejudice, bullying and unfair treatment on the unit (it happens more than you think), and so much more. We are stronger when we work together! The healthcare team is exactly that. A TEAM!

What do you think nurse friends? What else can be done? The time for change is now!