Contemporary Nursing Issues (Staff Retention)

NURSING RETENTION

The issue that I have chosen to address which was constantly reiterated through the interview process would probably be the most significant issue related to nursing today and that is the shortage of trained professional nurses that staff hospitals and health care centres throughout Australia. As was expressed by my interviewee that the state of nurses working conditions throughout our hospitals and associated healthcare facilities has deteriorated and have often led to many nurses either changing their profession or seeking alternative areas of the healthcare industry in order to continue with their nursing careers (Strachota, Normandin, O’Brien, Clary, & Krukow, 2003).

These exits and therefore staffing shortages could be attributed to a number of reasons (Push Factors) either because salaries are being reduced or not keeping in line with current inflation; equipment is often not available or kept current in order to succeed in helping patients in a satisfactory manner this is in line with the governments lack of University funding in the area of health care as well as the lack of general funding being allotted to the public health care system and with an ever increasing population and a push towards private health care reforms the funding is just not there. Working hours and rostering (shift work) is very demanding on nurses especially nurses with young children as was expressed by my interviewee. And not to mention general conditions which may include such things as lack of progression, parking, staff morale, bullying, and safety/welfare of these nurses especially during night shifts (Gardulf, Soderstrom, Orton, Eriksson, Arnetz, & Nordstorm, 2005).

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TOWARDS NURSING RETENTION

HISTORICAL FACTORS

As nurse retention remains a major issue for the current health care industry it may assist in considering the past in order to consider retention issues today. Although we need to remain aware that the specific...