Retention Factors Important of Medical Surgical Nurses

Background/Significance: Medical-surgical (Med-Surg) nursing has evolved from an entry-level position to a distinct specialty that represents the mainstay of every acute care hospital. Although the discipline has progressed, in 2019 the turnover rate of acute care Med-Surg registered nurses (RNs) was 20.4%. With the retirement of the baby-boom generation and the limited availability of new graduates interested in Med-Surg nursing, it is imperative to understand the retention factors inherent to their decision. Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative explanatory research study was to elucidate the retention factors important to Med-Surg RNs. Method: Qualitative Explanatory Findings: Prior to the face to face interviews, 151 Med-Surg RNs completed the Work Satisfaction Questionnaire. Fifty-six percent of the variance of whether a nurse was retained was predicted by four factors Age, Role Function, Supportive Management, and Pay. To further understand why these factors were important, 20 Med-Surg nurses were interviewed. Four themes emerged: Just A Med-Surg Nurse ; Enjoy the People in The Trenches ; A Place Where I Belong ; and Hear Me When I Say . Discussion/Recommendations: Many organizations believe that pay is the primary factor that predicts RN retention. However, while pay was predictive of behavior, moreover Med-Surg RNs wanted to feel valued, have a sense of belonging, enjoy the people they worked with, and have input into decisions that affected them. When managers work collaboratively with staff, leverage their gifts and talents, understand their motives, and empower them to succeed nurse retention improves