Nursing Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Nursing, including details on health care, hospital staff, professional care.

Transforming culture: an exploration of unit culture and nursing retention within a neonatal unit.

Mulcahy C, Betts L

The Royal Women's Hospital, 132 Grattan Street, Carlton, Melbourne 3053, Australia. carolinem@mivf.com.au

In 2001, the Neonatal Unit, at The Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne experienced the beginning of an extended period of increased demand with bed numbers in excess of 100% occupancy on many occasions, resulting in increased stress, absence of team work and low morale. Because of these demands and human resource issues there was an inability to recruit new nursing staff and retain skilled neonatal nurses. The present study will describe the key problems and highlight the activities and results of a project designed to improve nurse retention, increase employment attraction and improve recruitment outcomes. The project has been progressively successful in achieving full staffing with no ongoing nursing vacancies, reduced attrition and absenteeism, and improved interdisciplinary team work and staff satisfaction in a relatively short period. This has been sustained over 3 years.

Published 21 October 2005 in J Nurs Manag, 13(6): 519-23.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Nursing Research Today. All Rights Reserved.