Nurse leader survey finds 12% plan to leave in next 6 months

Editor's Note: 

A new survey from the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Foundation found that 12% of nurse leaders are planning to leave their position in the next six months, underscoring the ongoing issues of nurse retention and burnout post-pandemic.

The five-part longitudinal study, which began in 2020, explores the continuous challenges facing nurse leaders. This latest survey, from November 2023, included insights from nearly 2,500 nurse leaders. Highlights include:

• The primary factor (44%) cited by nurses who plan to leave is that their work is negatively affecting their health and well-being.
• Other motivations include looking for a promotion or new opportunity (42%), challenges with other leaders or colleagues (28%), not having resources or staff to do the job (27%), need for a higher income (20%), retirement (15%), looking for a new organization (15%), and needing a more flexible schedule (13%).
• The top challenge for nurse leaders is staff recruitment and retention (69%), a proportion that has risen steadily each year.
• Other significant challenges include emotional health and well-being of staff (45%) and financial resource availability (34%).
• The survey also reflected high numbers of bullying (68%), violence (53%) and incivility (77%) toward nurse leaders while at work, from patients, patient families and colleagues.

In survey comments, one nurse leader said “The work is hard. Workplace violence continues to climb and healthcare organizations don’t have the backing to make significant improvements. The well being at the front of the line will continue to be an issue.”