Marie Dietrich Leurer

Nurse retention strategies: advice from experienced registered nurses

PURPOSE The purpose of the paper is to explore the insights of experienced nurses regarding initiatives they believe would effectively retain nurses like themselves in the nursing profession. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH As part of a qualitative investigation into the perceptions of nurses regarding issues affecting their profession, experienced nurses were asked to describe what retention strategies they would recommend to policy-makers. A total of 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with long-term nurses in a health region in western Canada. FINDINGS The paper found that seven retention strategies were commonly mentioned by the participants. The qualitative mode of inquiry allowed the nurses to convey the context, attitudes and feelings behind their recommendations. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS The work environments and accompanying retention policies experienced by nurses vary widely according to the specific employment context As is typical with qualitative research, the findings of this study cannot be considered as generalizable to all nurses in all health care settings. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS The results of this paper provide a deeper understanding of the attitudes, emotions and contextual issues behind the nurse retention strategies seen as most appropriate by the target audience of long-term nurses. ORIGINALITY/VALUE While there is much literature advocating the implementation of nurse retention strategies, very little evidence has been presented from a qualitative lens. It is necessary to directly listen to the voices of those impacted by policies in order to better appreciate how such policies are perceived from a bottom-up perspective.

The Psychosocial and Emotional Experience of Breastfeeding Reflections of Mothers

Breastfeeding is acknowledged as optimal infant nutrition, yet despite high initiation rates, early cessation remains common. To understand why, we asked mothers in Western Canada how they felt about their breastfeeding experience. A total of 191 women (response rate 35%) responded to a survey distributed by public health nurses. While many women felt positive about their overall breastfeeding experience, others shared mixed or negative emotions. Several themes were evident: (a) Most women reported a variety of positive aspects beyond the health benefits, (b) lactation difficulties were commonly reported, and (c) diversity among the reflections highlights the uniqueness of each breastfeeding journey. The findings reaffirm the need for breastfeeding programs to holistically promote the range of positive aspects while providing realistic information on common challenges and strategies to overcome these. Mothers require individualized support that assesses psychosocial and emotional needs and offers encouragement, reassurance, and acknowledgment of the range of experiences.

Lessons in Media Advocacy: A Look Back at Saskatchewan's Nursing Education Debate

Nurses are encouraged to exert their influence in the realm of public policy, particularly policies related to the nursing profession, the health care system and the health of their clients. Media advocacy can be used by nursing organizations to mobilize public support on policy issues in order to influence policy makers. This article retrospectively examined the media advocacy efforts of nursing stakeholders in Saskatchewan, Canada in response to a new government policy that would have impacted educational requirements for licensure as a registered nurse (RN) in that province. Print media sources from the period January to March, 2000 were examined to determine the specific media advocacy techniques used by nursing organizations within the framework of the policy cycle. The success of nursing stakeholders in reversing the government position highlights the effectiveness of media advocacy as a tool to disseminate messages from the nursing profession in order to impact policy.

Perspectives on issues, challenges, and preferred futures for maternal, newborn, and child health in Arusha and Ngorongoro, Tanzania

Abstract To articulate community perspectives on maternal, newborn, and child health issues, challenges, and preferred visions, the Mama Kwanza Socioeconomic Health Initiative (MKSHI), a Canadian–Tanzanian partnership, undertook a multimethod needs assessment using a community development approach. This paper reports on dialog with a cross-section of 12 health care providers and 15 stakeholders. The findings provided rich narratives on the health care context in the MKSHI Arusha and Ngorongoro service areas. Barriers to quality health care included complex socioeconomic needs, poor accessibility, providers requiring continuing education, inadequately staffed and resourced clinics, lack of service integration, and poor quality work life for providers. Ongoing community participation in MKSHI planning is required to attain preferred visions of equitable and accessible health services, knowledgeable and caring providers, and well-resourced programs. The assessment highlighted the importance of international development projects facilitating community consciousness-raising and dialog to create community partnerships that will enhance project effectiveness and sustainability.

A Syndemic Perspective of Negative Childhood Outcomes: Parenting in a “Perfect Storm” of Disadvantaged Conditions

Families raising children in circumstances of disadvantage face multiple challenges. In this research, service providers working with this population in Regina, Canada, shared their perceptions regarding the challenges experienced by these families and strategies that would effectively address them. Parents then provided their view of the service providers perceptions. The findings are consistent with newly emergent perspectives that draw on syndemics theory, where the explanatory focus is on the synergistic nature of multiple simultaneous socioenvironmental stressors operating on vulnerable populations. Participants called for holistic and comprehensive strategies to address the synergistic nature of the challenges faced by disadvantaged families.