Nearly one-third of hospital nursing leaders, 31%, are planning to leave their jobs in the near future, with burnout a driving factor for most, according to survey results from staffing firm AMN Healthcare.
“Like millions of front-line nurses, nurse leaders are facing challenging work conditions that can exacerbate stress and fuel turnover,” Christine Mackey-Ross, President of AMN Healthcare Leadership Solutions, said in prepared remarks. “The job satisfaction and personal wellbeing of nurse leaders therefore should be a primary concern of any healthcare facility seeking to maintain the continuity and effectiveness of its nurse staff.”
Results were based on an annual survey of 186 hospital nurse leaders from the AMN database.
Burnout was experienced at least sometimes by 72% of respondents, with staff recruitment and retention; staff burnout; and labor shortages being the leading challenges causing all the stress. Nursing leaders also often get pulled into other aspects of hospital management beyond their own workforce. For example, 80% reported involvement in overall hospital financial management and a similar proportion were involved in patient protocols.
“Nurse leaders are having an impact far beyond the bedside,” Mackey-Ross said. “They are filling executive roles at major corporations, serving on boards of directors, conducting cutting edge research, and even serving as legislators.”
While these roles are important, they add on layers of stress, as seen from some of the written responses in the AMN report.
“It is one of the most difficult jobs in the entire hospital,” one respondent wrote. “You have to be a liaison between nursing, medical services, housekeeping, engineering, grounds, nutrition, social work, physical therapy, finance, supply chain, patients, their families all while keeping your bosses happy and making sure everything on their agenda is accomplished in addition to yours.”
Leaders are trying to alleviate some of their problems with innovative scheduling and use of technology. Nurse float pools, which allow permanent staff to work on a temporary assignment similar to a travel nurse, were being used by 58% of nurse leaders. And nearly half have moved to virtual interviewing platforms and online onboarding tools.
The full report can be downloaded here.
Evan joined TriMed in 2011, writing primarily for Health Imaging. Prior to diving into medical journalism, Evan worked for the Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis. He also has worked in public relations and education. Evan studied journalism at the University of Missouri, with an emphasis on broadcast media.