Report Offers Ways to Improve Retention

To improve retention, hospitals should try to reduce the number of nurses assigned to a nurse manager when possible, an AONL report found. The report, released earlier this month in partnership with Laudio, found splitting a large department into two smaller ones could be beneficial. Adding assistant managers to larger departments to offset manager workload also can reduce turnover if there is a clear understanding of roles. One of the main reasons nurses leave is due to managers who are too busy to train and support them, the report noted. Nurses are significantly less likely to leave when managers have consistent, meaningful interactions with their team members. “The most impactful interactions involve timely and personalized recognition of the real work front-line team members do daily, ideally when directly connected to a unit’s outcomes,” said AONL CEO Robyn Begley, DNP, RN. “Recognizing accomplishments and celebrating team members’ personal milestones help team members feel valued and engaged.” (MedCity News article, 4/10/24)