Addressing Nursing Resignation: Insights From Qualitative Studies on Nurses Leaving Healthcare Organisations and the Profession

Aim

The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of nurses who resigned from healthcare organisations or abandoned the profession and explore the reasons behind them.

Design

A systematic review of qualitative studies and meta-summary.

Data Sources

Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), Social Science Citation Index (Web of Science), and Scopus.

Methods

The search was conducted up to May 2024. Primary qualitative studies focused on nurses who had resigned or left the profession were included. The meta-summary was conducted using method: findings were extracted from the reports, edited, grouped, abstracted into key meta-findings, and finally, their frequency effect sizes were calculated.

Results

A total of 282 findings were extracted from 12 studies, generating 49 statements of findings that were aggregated into nine key meta-findings. Poor management practices presented a frequency effect size of 100%. Other key meta-findings included excessive workload, teamwork hurdles, health issues related to work shifts and difficulty in maintaining work-life balance, a lack of career growth opportunities and promotion chances, disillusionment with nursing, dissatisfaction due to salary, bullying and horizontal violence, and moral distress over ethical dilemmas.

Conclusion

The findings can help support the development of targeted strategies and the implementation of effective policies aimed at reducing nursing turnover.

Impact and Implications for the Profession

The major impact of these findings is the recognition of rising factors that negatively affect nurses' quality of life, including workload pressures and poor management strategies, which significantly lower job satisfaction. To address these challenges, the profession should prioritise tools that value nurses in their roles, implement strategies to manage workloads more effectively and advocate for policies promoting flexible scheduling. Additionally, investing in professional development and fostering a supportive work environment can help retain skilled nurses and nurture the growth of new talent.

Reporting Method

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.