Impact of Healthy Work Environment on Nurses

Impact of healthy work environment on retention of nurses

Abstract

Registered nurses are the largest number of health-care professionals in United States. However, nurses are leaving their job and profession at an alarming rate. Attraction and retention of nurses is critical to the effective function of healthcare facility. Retention of nurses is essential to maintain an adequate supply of nurses, and at the organizational level. Evidence suggests that fostering a positive and healthy work environment creates a better staff satisfaction, retention, improved patient outcomes, and better staff performance. This paper aims to identify how work environment impacts the retention of nurses.

The shortage of nurses is nothing new. This is a problem that has plagued the United States healthcare system. Research supports that healthy work environments directly influence employee retention. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that, nationally, by 2020, hospitals will face a shortage of almost 800,000 nurses – a 29% vacancy rate up from the current rate of 8%. The nursing workforce is decreasing and shrinking the healthcare workforce, meanwhile, patient volume continues to grow as baby boomers grow and demand more services. Retention of nurses is considered a major responsibility for nurse managers, therefore, education is of great importance to have. Management techniques such as how to improve and promote healthy work environment should be included in the nursing administration as well as in the continuing education process. Cultivating the right and healthy work environment is critical to improving nurse retention, reducing organizational costs and creating better patient outcomes. Nurses’ responses to their working conditions are often reflected in patient’s perceptions of the quality of nursing care, therefore, hospital administrators can foster job satisfaction, thereby creating a healthy work environment and retaining nurses...