How transformational leaders increase nurse retention and decrease attrition

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the problem of nurse attrition, which negatively impacted the lives of nurses, decreased patients' perception of their healthcare, and increased the cost of healthcare. Facility administrators who lack strategies to decrease nurse turnover may lose their ability to provide quality nursing services in their facility and control their costs of care. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies private medical treatment facility administrators use to decrease nurse attrition. Five private medical treatment facility administrators located in Southern Texas completed semistructured, open-ended interviews, and three employee engagement survey results were analyzed. Results were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged develop a culture of engagement, approach associates' concerns from a perspective of listening, provide financial benefits within the control of management, and advocate to the United States Federal Government. A key recommendation for facility administrators is to remain visible leaders and conduct unit rounding often. The implications for social change include the potential to improve the lives of nurses, increase patients' perception of their healthcare, and decrease the cost of healthcare. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)