The search process for peer-reviewed journal papers is based on accessing multiple (digital) databases, such as Wiley Online Library, Allied Health Literature, and PubMed, amongst others. The research papers are short-listed from nurse management and professional development journals with a search tailored for literature published within the last ten years (2011-21), which narrows the scope of literature on the subject matter. The search terms are connected with Boolean operators (AND, OR) to achieve results on variables for precision. The search results were limited to English language publications with professional and personal strategies for NUM, which enhances nurse support within ICU settings.
Literature Review
Monekey’s (2013) research focuses on the impact of leadership behaviours on nurse job satisfaction within a critical care setting. The job satisfaction of nurses directly impacts patient safety, work performance and productivity, turnover and retention level, quality of care, etc. The research focuses on positive feelings toward work settings and leadership because they impact the overall job satisfaction of nurses, although interpersonal relationships play a critical role among nurses. For example, organizational empowerment is directly proportional to job satisfaction, especially when nurses’ inputs are accommodated at the policy level. The available studies suggest that leadership behaviour plays an instrumental role in positively or negatively affecting the work climate, which means a direct impact on the financial health of the organization. Amongst other things, development plans can be used to increase leadership effectiveness at the organization, and that requires enhancing leadership practice. Healthcare organizations can play a critical role in increasing the job satisfaction of nurses through the identification of potential activities within the organization. It is the goal of the leadership to recognize, attract, and retain critical care nurses, which also positively impacts the achievement of organizational goals and competitive advantage. The research findings of Monekey (2013) aim to establish a strong relationship between the job satisfaction of critical nurses through studying ‘managerial leadership.’
However, Vergara’s (2017) research focuses on the implementation of a ‘mentorship program’ aimed at decreasing retention levels and job satisfaction within critical care settings. A 45-bed critical care department is the unit of analysis for a hospital-based mentorship program, which produced positive results in terms of yearly turnover rates and increased overall job satisfaction of the staff. The basis for the hospital-based mentorship program is to positively influence the two major issues facing healthcare organizations, which require thoughtful policy-making at the leadership level. Recent healthcare reform legislation has reshaped the operations of healthcare organizations and established an atmosphere of work environment where nurse professionals work optimally for the well-being of patients and their respective families. The current industry trends suggest that there is an estimated shortage of nurses in healthcare settings due to the intensified needs of the retired ‘Baby Boomers,’ coupled with a 30,000 U.S. dollars annual cost to the organizations due to a one per cent increase in turnover rate. The theoretical model of the research is based on a review of the existing literature and focuses on ‘change’ that can transform the conditions of critical care units. For example, Everett Roger’s diffusion of innovation theory suggests the facilitation of the adoption of change because it results in transformation, with the assistance of five qualitative, that is, relative advantage, compatibility, trialability, simplicity, and observability.
In a similar way, Tourangeau et al. (2013) research aims to explore the phenomenon of nurse retention levels within acute care settings and the generation-specific disincentives, incentives that either discourage or promote the respective retention level. The existing literature suggests that the strategies and preferences of nurses in the industry differ a great length across generational cohorts. The research attempts to bridge the research gap with evidence-based generation-specific nurse strategies through data from 9904 registered nurses working in the two states of Canada, that is, Ontario and Alberta. The data is collected through a cross-sectional survey with nurse feedback on preferences for incentives and disincentives that discourage or encourage to retain their jobs. The survey items of the research are the product of the focus group discussions (FGDs), which explored the determinants of nurse retention. The analysis of the research suggests that eight out of ten incentives and eight out of fifteen disincentives exist for remaining employed, with significant differences across the nurse generations. Research findings suggest that the two incentives most frequently mentioned by the respondents are manageable nurse-patient ratios coupled with the reasonability of workload.
Wright et al. (2017) research focuses on the role of inflexible work schedules in the life work-life of the nursing profession by assessing nurse turnover and job satisfaction. The research findings of Wright et al. (2017) confirm the already established relationship between job satisfaction and nurse retention, that is, preceding significantly predicting the latter. The available literature on the subject matter suggests that the major contributors to job satisfaction are educational opportunities and the autonomy of nurse practitioners within acute care hospital settings. The research project illustrated the implementation of a computer-based self-scheduling system for nurse practitioners, which has the potential to impact overall job satisfaction in an affirmative manner. The research concludes with a note for development educator staff, that is, the key role ‘self-scheduling’ may play in increasing autonomy, reducing hospital costs, improving turnover and providing professional development. The research is based on NR surveys that generated a sample of 1,317 and 1,492 for the years 2012 and 2015, respectively. The intervention is the self-scheduling program, which is provided in parallel with the existing electronic health record software. The outcome of the research is an assessment of the amount of initiative, independence, and freedom required and permitted for the completion of daily activities in nursing work.
References
Moneke, N., & Umeh, O. J. (2013). How leadership behaviors impact critical care nurse job satisfaction. Nursing Management, 44(1), 53-55.
Tourangeau, A. E., Thomson, H., Cummings, G., & Cranley, L. A. (2013). Generation‐specific incentives and disincentives for nurses to remain employed in acute care hospitals. Journal of Nursing Management, 21(3), 473-482.
Vergara, J. Y. (2017). Implementation of a mentorship program to increase staff satisfaction and retention in critical care. Nurse Leader, 15(3), 207-212.
Wright, C., McCartt, P., Raines, D., & Oermann, M. H. (2017). Implementation and evaluation of self-scheduling in a hospital system. Journal for nurses in professional development, 33(1), 19-24.
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