Impact of Nurse Turnover on Staffing Practices and Patient Outcomes

Abstract

Aims: This study aims to assess the rates and financial implications of nurse turnover, examine the connections with staffing practices, and evaluate the effects on both nursing and patient outcomes.

Background: Given the ongoing nursing shortages, understanding the rates and costs associated with nurse turnover can enhance the management of nursing staff and the overall quality of care delivered.

Methods: Over a 12-month period, both quantitative and qualitative data were prospectively gathered. A subsequent analysis employed descriptive statistics and correlational analysis techniques to evaluate the data.

Results: The financial impact of turnover for each registered nurse approximates to half of an average salary. The most significant costs stemmed from temporary staffing solutions, followed by losses in productivity. Both of these factors were linked to negative patient outcomes. The flexible management of nursing resources, characterized by staffing levels below budget and increased reliance on temporary staff, along with the recruitment of new graduates and international nurses to fill vacancies, contributed to both turnover and associated costs.

Conclusions: Nurse turnover is closely linked to staffing levels and practices, with financial implications arising from both. A pervasive culture of turnover was identified, which contradicts the principles of nursing as a knowledge-intensive profession.