Nursing faculty are advised to attend to information regarding nurses' job satisfaction reported in a survey of more than 1,500 nurses conducted by Lynn Wieck, PhD, RN, and CEO of the Houston-based company Management Solutions for Healthcare. Dr. Wieck concluded that "The number one, most important incentive for staying in a (hospital) job was a cohesive work environment" along with "[horizontal ellipsis]working with people who help you share the work and pull together as a team". Dr. Wieck adds that nurse managers can contribute to this type of environment by making statements to staff nurses such as "Thank you, you did a very good job." Nursing faculty can assist students in developing supportive behaviors throughout the nursing curriculum. Encouraging teamwork, collaboration, and a simple "Thank you" will assist our students in developing the colleagial relationships Wieck reports as contributing to career satisfaction.
The American Hospital Association reported in 2007 that the national hospital nurse vacancy rate was over 8%. A Health Research Institute study, carried out in the same year, reported that voluntary turnover among first year nurses was as high as 27.1%. Wieck notes that hospitals will benefit financially from retaining nurses by creating environments desirable to nurses. She comments that retaining a stable nursing work force also contributes to patient satisfaction. Offering a menu of benefits ranging from child-care for the young nurse to a good retirement package for the seasoned professional is one strategy to increase nurse retention and job satisfaction. Furthermore, emulating employment practices of hospitals awarded Magnet Status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center is recommended to assist in identifying conditions that contribute to nurses' satisfaction with their work environment. Faculty can assist our graduates in identifying employment opportunities within facilities that provide these opportunities. Employment in a desirable environment will contribute to career satisfaction for new nurses.
Source: Larson J. (November 2008). "What do nurses really want?". Nurse Zone.com Nursing News. Available athttp://www.nursezone.com/nursing-news-events/more-news.aspx?ID=18368. Accessed November 13, 2008.