Emergency Nurse Retention Executive Synopsis-Emergency Nurse Retention Executive Synopsis

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Nurse retention is a pressing issue in the healthcare industry, as the high turnover rate incurs significant costs for hospitals to replace staff. It is estimated that the cost of recruitment, hiring, and training for an individual nurse can be as high as $82,000, resulting in a potential annual expenditure of four million dollars for a 300-bed facility. Emergency department (ED) nurses are particularly susceptible to turnover due to the stressful and demanding nature of their work, which can lead to burnout and compassion fatigue. Additionally, the high patient volume in EDs and the reduction of nursing staff can create a stressful environment, with some nurses required to work beyond their shift, leading to fatigue and compromised patient safety. To address these challenges and retain nurses, hospitals can implement evidence-based strategies such as performing workplace assessments to identify the root causes of turnover, creating a safe and supportive work environment, offering flexible work schedules, using data-driven staffing models, reducing overtime demands, establishing a culture of shared governance, providing opportunities for continuing education and professional development, and adopting Magnet program principles. Research shows that a positive and supportive work environment is the most important factor in nurse retention. By implementing these strategies, hospitals can create high-performing environments with low nursing turnover rates, leading to improved patient care outcomes and cost savings.

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Keywords

nurse retention

turnover rate

costs

hospitals

emergency department nurses

burnout

patient volume

workplace assessments

flexible work schedules

Magnet program principles