Resignation Retention

Just curious, are you, yourself a nurse?

What do you think is most important to nurses (besides $)?

Wow, I think it's unfortunate you haven't gotten much response. I mean here you are trying to find out what we want and doesn't seem like many are willing to let you know what that is.

I've never worked in the hospital seeting, myself. But I would think nurse/patient ratio would be a key factor in job satisfaction there. Also, I would think interdisciplinary communications would be important as well.

I would also think a part of feeling valued could be conveyed just by asking their opinion. Have you tried sending out a survey to the nursing staff?

I care most about the atmosphere. I have stayed in lower paying jobs because I had great coworkers and a supportive management. I have left higher paying jobs when I didn't like my coworkers and felt disrespected or ignored by out of touch managers (the managers who haven't worked as nurses for years and don't think we need adequate staffing).

I am considering leaving my current job despite the great coworkers because I don't like how management doesn't support the staff. It has yet to happen to me, but I have seen several nurses subjected to disrespect with no support from management all in the name of customer service. I've probably stayed because it hasn't happened to me yet, but the second it does you can bet your butt I'll be typing my resignation letter. There are just too many jobs out there to accept an unhealthy work environment.

Pay is very important in this climate. Benefits are also important to me--especially good health plans. Self-scheduling. Having the right tools to do the job (supplies, equipment that works, etc) in an easy to get to place--not in a pyxis for things like 2x2s and band-aids!!!!!! Supportive and knowledgeable charge nurses or floor supervisors as well as supportive management. Good communication. Departments that work well together. Adequate staffing for our department as well as the departments we work with (housekeeping, lab, pharmacy). Don't lock up the toilet paper--I worked at one place where I could get a patient narcotics but not toilet paper.

Make it easy for us to do a good job. Plain and simple.

I have to agree with fergus, if the atmosphere and managerial support isn't there, I'll leave. Carefully review your staffing levels, and please remember that LPN's aren't happy if all the RN's on the floor have 4 pts while they each have 8 (assuming the same acuity level). Let your nurses know that you are looking for suggestions, they would be the best resource since they are actually in the facility. Offer continuing education, promote a family-type atmosphere, discourage cliques that can form. Maybe offer an inservice on peer awareness to help staff who may completely adopt the "It's all about me" attitude, and help improve interpersonal skills on the floors. Maintain open lines of communication and promote an open door environment with your nurse managers so that staff feels comfortable speaking with them. Also try to ensure that they are taken seriously. Most of the time, if there's good management, there are happy nurses.

The Australian perspective - our pay does not really vary facility to facility so that is not a factor but the things that have made most difference here are

1) Workplace health and safety - no lift policies - you do want to know that you will not be expected to hurt yourself at work. We even have "wardsmen" still in some facilities - big men hired to do the manual handling, lifting and positioning of the patients.

2) Zero tolerance to violence as a workplace mission statement. That means NO bullying and NO threats/abuse tolerated from patients or visitors

3) Respect. Not just from the public but from the staff as well. Actually though one does follow the other.

4) Trust. This comes with respect - being able to trust that your supervisors will back you when it hits the fan.

One of the reasons why I like where I work was there was an incidence the other day where a visitor was being unreasonable to staff (would not leave when visiting hours were over) and began threatening the staff with contacting someone they knew in the hospital heirarchy. They actually did contact this person who complained to the consultant who rang and had a piece of the nurses. The next day that consultant had his fingers rapped well and truly for not backing the nursing staff. The fact that we know he was told his part in this was not acceptable made us feel much much better.

Oh! And if you are using a patient/nurse dependency system such as Trendcare or PAIS to work out nurse patient ratios - make sure that you are staffed to that system. I knew a place where they used Trendcare but did not alter the staffing and all it did was become a cry "How many hours are you down today" - totally demoralising.

Increase vacation time and nurses will stay.