Introduction:
The global nursing workforce is facing significant shortages, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergency department (ED) is a dynamic environment that can expose nurses to high levels of stress. Retention of existing nurses is vital, however the efficacy of interventions to improve the retention of ED nurses is limited. The aim of this review was to explore the evidence surrounding interventions focussed on addressing the retention of ED nurses.
Method:
Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute framework, a scoping review of the literature was undertaken. Five electronic databases (Scopus, CINAHL, Ovid Medline, ProQuest and Cochrane Library) were searched. Inclusion criteria were: original research articles published in English between 2012 and 2023 that focused on interventions to decrease turnover/improve retention for nurses working in the ED.
Results:
Five articles met the criteria for inclusion. All included studies took place in high-income countries (United States n=3, Australia n=1, and Canada n=1). The methodology of included studies varied (mixed methods n=2, pre post-test design n=1, and retrospective design n=1). None of the included studies utilised a longitudinal approach. Three articles evaluated educational programs to ease the transition to ED nursing practice, the other two articles assessed locally developed ‘ad hoc’ interventions. Of the transitional education programs studied, an increase in retention rates was reported, while the ad hoc interventions produced minimal to no improvement in retention or reduction of turnover.
Conclusion:
High nurse turnover is problematic and costly in terms of both human recruitment and productivity. There is a dearth of evidence for organisations to draw upon to increase the retention of ED nurses. Additional research is warranted, especially longitudinal investigations of interventions aimed at improving ED nurse retention.