Study: Nurse manager competency indirectly impacts staff retention

Editor's Note

Nurse managers with strong leadership competencies indirectly improve frontline nurse retention by enhancing the work environment, according to research published in the October issue of the Journal of Nursing Administration.

Researchers analyzed data from 248 units across 43 hospitals in 20 states, seeking correlations between NM competencies, nurse practice environments, and intent to stay among frontline nurses. They found that higher NM competency scores were associated with more positive perceptions of the practice environment among staff nurses. While NM competencies were not directly correlated with nurses' intent to stay, they had an indirect effect mediated by the practice environment.

Key takeaways include:

• Human resource leadership skills and relationship management were positively correlated with various aspects of the practice environment.
• Higher composite Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) scores were significantly associated with higher intent to stay among frontline nurses.
• The effect of NM competency on intent to stay was mediated by the composite PES-NWI score.
• The study emphasizes the importance of investing in NM training and competency validation. It suggests that healthcare organizations should focus on developing NMs' business and relational skills, as these can positively influence nurses' intent to stay by enabling managers to advocate for resources and create supportive work environments.

Limitations of the study include potential social desirability bias in self-reported NM assessments and the exclusion of NMs managing multiple units.