KEY PREDICTORS OF ATTRACTING AND RETAINING NURSES IN WORKPLACE

ABSTRACT Nowadays, nurses are valued and treated as a scarce commodity. Retention of professional nurses is a key to any organization's success. The ability of an organization to retain nurses primarily depends on the creation of a positive work environment. The aim of the study was to identify the factors affecting nurses' attraction and retention in selected hospitals in Egypt. A descriptive exploratory Design was utilized. Sample: five hospitals accepted to participate in the study. A convenient sample of the chief nursing executives and vice chief nursing executives (17 nurses); and a cross-sectional sample (supervisors, head nurses, charge nurses, and staff nurses) of the working nurses (598 nurses) from these hospitals with response rate of 70.2%. Tool: a self-administered structured questionnaire (91 items) was developed by the investigators after extensive review of the related literature. The results: the overall perception of the study nurses of the factors affecting nurses' attraction and retention was 86.6%. While the highest mean per cent was found in the interdisciplinary relationships followed by the nursing image in the hospital, the lowest mean per cent was found in supportive organizational structure. The mean percent of the remaining eight dimensions could be ranked in descending order, as perceived by the study nurses. Supportive personnel policies, nursing director characteristics, nurses' autonomy, quality of patient care, supportive administration, shared organizational values, supportive front-line managers, and professional development of nurses. Conclusion: collaborative interdisciplinary relationships, positive nursing image in the hospital, supportive personnel policies, attributes of the chief nursing officer, nurses' autonomy, quality of patient care, supportive administration, shared organizational values, supportive front-line managers, and professional developmentprograms are essential strategies for enhancing nurses' attraction and retention in workplace.Recommendations:Promoting a healthy work environment that support nurses' quality of work and quality of life through staff development programs, supportive nurse managers, competitive salaries and benefits, flexible work schedules, collaborative nurse-physician relationship and ensuring safety culture.