What do nurses want?
Research provides contradictory data on nurse preferences for shift length and time. For instance, although many nurses report a preference for 12-hour shifts, studies have found that job dissatisfaction is higher among those who work longer shifts.
A study titled “Nurses’ experiences and preferences around shift patterns: A scoping review” explored evidence regarding this issue in the international literature.
What did it find?
The staffing change nurses most want is having a choice.
Agency is key in predicting nurse wellbeing. When nurses have control over when and how much they work, they experience greater job satisfaction and overall health.
Nurses prefer shift patterns they have been involved in arranging. They especially value shift patterns that reflect their requested changes.
In light of these findings, healthcare facilities should involve nurses as much as possible in staffing and scheduling decisions and offer them the flexibility to work when they want.
Merging staffing needs with nurse agency
In 2023, Nursa commissioned a survey to gain insights into nurse staffing trends.
It found that simply increasing nurses’ salaries is not enough to attract and retain nurses.
Although 77 percent of chief financial officers had increased starting salaries by 20 percent or more in the previous two years, 86 percent of hospitals and health systems saw at least 10 percent of their staff quit in 2023.
The survey also found that contract nursing increased by over 100 percent between 2019 and 2023.
Remember what nurses want?
Choice.
Healthcare facilities are turning to contract nursing because it allows them to offer greater flexibility to internal staff and retain their workforce.