Mary Ellen Andrews

Moving on? Predictors of intent to leave among rural and remote RNs in Canada

CONTEXT Examination of factors related to the retention or voluntary turnover of Registered Nurses (RNs) has mainly focused on urban, acute care settings. PURPOSE This paper explored predictors of intent to leave (ITL) a nursing position in all rural and remote practice settings in Canada. Based on the conceptual framework developed for this project, potential predictors of ITL were related to the individual RN worker, the workplace, the community context, and satisfaction related to both the workplace and the community(s) within which the RN lived and worked. METHODS A national cross-sectional mail survey of RNs in rural and remote Canada provided the data (n = 3,051) for the logistic regression analysis of predictors of ITL. FINDINGS We found that RNs were more likely to plan to leave their nursing position within the next 12 months if they: were male, reported higher perceived stress, did not have dependent children or relatives, had higher education, were employed by their primary agency for a shorter time, had lower community satisfaction, had greater dissatisfaction with job scheduling, had lower satisfaction with their autonomy in the workplace, were required to be on call, performed advanced decisions or practice, and worked in a remote setting. CONCLUSIONS The statistical evidence for predictors of ITL supported our framework with determinants related to the individual, the workplace, the community, and satisfaction levels. The importance of community makes this framework uniquely relevant to the rural health context. Our findings should guide policy makers and employers in developing retention strategies.

Registered nurses working alone in rural and remote Canada.

This paper describes the demographics of Registered Nurses (RNs) who work alone in rural and remote Canada, their workplaces, and the benefits and challenges of this unique nursing employment situation. Data presented are from a national survey, one of 4 principal approaches used in conducting the project The Nature of Nursing Practice in Rural and Remote Canada. Of the total survey sample, 412 nurses (11.5%) were employed as the only RN in their work setting. Variables of interest included level of education, employment setting, and regional distribution of workplaces. An exploration of predictors of work satisfaction confirmed previous research findings with respect to the importance of continuing education and face-to-face contact with colleagues. Findings from this analysis may inform policy decisions regarding the employment of RNs in rural and remote Canada.

More alike than different: a comparison of male and female RNs in rural and remote Canada.

AIM To explore gender differences and similarities on personal, employment and work-life factors and predictors of job satisfaction among registered nurses in rural and remote Canada. BACKGROUND Research suggests that men and women are attracted to nursing for different reasons, with job security, range of employment opportunities and wages being important for male nurses. METHODS Using data from a large national survey of registered nurses in rural and remote Canada, descriptive and multiple linear regression analyses were used to identify gender differences and similarities. RESULTS A larger proportion of male nurses reported experiencing aggression in the workplace. Age, annual gross income and colleague support in medicine were not found to be predictors of work satisfaction for the male nurses, although they were for women. CONCLUSION There are more similarities than differences between male and female registered nurses in factors that affect job satisfaction. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Nursing management needs to increase their awareness of the potential for workplace aggression towards male registered nurses and to explore the perceptions of interpersonal interactions that affect satisfaction in the workplace.

Nurses who work in rural and remote communities in Canada: a national survey

BackgroundIn Canada, as in other parts of the world, there is geographic maldistribution of the nursing workforce, and insufficient attention is paid to the strengths and needs of those providing care in rural and remote settings. In order to inform workforce planning, a national study, Nursing Practice in Rural and Remote Canada II, was conducted with the rural and remote regulated nursing workforce (registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed or registered practical nurses, and registered psychiatric nurses) with the intent of informing policy and planning about improving nursing services and access to care. In this article, the study methods are described along with an examination of the characteristics of the rural and remote nursing workforce with a focus on important variations among nurse types and regions.MethodsA cross-sectional survey used a mailed questionnaire with persistent follow-up to achieve a stratified systematic sample of 3822 regulated nurses from all provinces and territories, living outside of the commuting zones of large urban centers and in the north of Canada.ResultsRural workforce characteristics reported here suggest the persistence of key characteristics noted in a previous Canada-wide survey of rural registered nurses (2001-2002), namely the aging of the rural nursing workforce, the growth in baccalaureate education for registered nurses, and increasing casualization. Two thirds of the nurses grew up in a community of under 10 000 people. While nurses’ levels of satisfaction with their nursing practice and community are generally high, significant variations were noted by nurse type. Nurses reported coming to rural communities to work for reasons of location, interest in the practice setting, and income, and staying for similar reasons. Important variations were noted by nurse type and region.ConclusionsThe proportion of the rural nursing workforce in Canada is continuing to decline in relation to the proportion of the Canadian population in rural and remote settings. Survey results about the characteristics and practice of the various types of nurses can support workforce planning to improve nursing services and access to care.