The Determinants of Nurses Retention: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Nursing turnover is a critical problem in healthcare workforces because it increases costs and creates additional burdens on the remaining staff. The goal of this literature review is to examine the factors that lead to either the desire or the decision to leave a nursing position, as well as the desire or the decision to leave the profession altogether, based on studies from the past 11 years. The review is a combination of literature review and thematic synthesis, where the PRISMA guidelines are strictly followed. The aim is to classify the numerous determinants of a person’s profession, such as workplace, managerial, and psychological influences. From the 220 studies reviewed, 51 were considered to meet our criteria. The matrix used in this review is innovative, and data recorded in the matrix refers to the number of determinants reported in the studies. The matrix demonstrated that studies primarily reported the determinants of nursing burnout and the quality of the work environment. The matrix demonstrated that the studies reported fewer determinants regarding reward and recognition systems and nursing professional autonomy. The review describes the nurse retention problem and provides recommendations for future empirical research pertaining to healthcare management and workforce policies.