Retention, burnout and the future of nursing

摘要

Nursing retention continues to be critical in OECD countries (Simoens et al 2005). Nurses' clinical knowledge, skills and engagement are an essential component of promoting and maintaining the health and well-being of a society. On the other hand, increasing concern about the well-being and retention of nurses is relatively new (e.g. Pisaniello et al. 2012). There are many new pressures affecting nurses' well-being and retention. One contributing factor is the ageing populations in many OECD countries, in turn changing the nature, and increasing the acuity of illness in patients at a time when health is chronically under-resourced and nurses are continually asked to 'do more with less'. Another factor is the growing expectation by the public for high-quality service and care - in line with the implementation of public sector reform - refocusing the attention of the client.