Date of Award

6-15-2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Health Policy and Management

First Advisor

Dr. Muhammad Asim

Second Advisor

Dr. Rozina Karamiliani

Third Advisor

Dr. Khairunnisa Ajani

Department

Community Health Sciences

Abstract

Background: Healthcare organizations are facing a dearth of human resources for health. There is a paucity of 5.9 million nurses around the globe. The nurses are the health workforce that comprises half of the health sector professionals. Nurses are the frontline champions in identifying first health emergencies and giving care to the older population. Retaining nurses are an integral part of healthcare organizations because they are 24-hour caregivers that provide endless services and contribute to patient care. The nurse-to-patient ratio in Pakistan is 1:50, which is very low as recommended standard, i.e., 1:5. The shortage of nurses affects patient care and the overall country’s health and increases healthcare organizations' costs.
Objectives: The study aimed to explore the factors influencing the retention of nurses in public and private hospitals in Karachi and the possible retention strategies in retaining nurses.
Method: The qualitative descriptive exploratory research design was used to carry out this study. A semi[1]structured interview guide was used to collect the data from nurses and key informants such as nurse managers/ head nurses and nursing faculties (Academia). The sample size was 17, including 09 nurses, 04 head nurses/nurse managers, and 04 nursing faculties from the public and private sectors. The audio recordings and notes were taken from the interviews. The recorded data were translated into the English language. The data were analyzed by using thematic deductive and inductive analysis approaches. The data were classified into themes and sub[1]themes by using the socio-ecological framework.
Results: Through the study findings and using the conceptual framework, themes and sub-themes were identified as (a) individuals factors, including lack of agency, lack of respect, overburdened by workload and double shifts, (b) interpersonal factors, including compatibility issues, teamwork and no policy of interpersonal relationship between employees, (c) organizational level factors including adequate staffing, monetary demands for job preferences, career growth, job safety and fringe benefits for motivation, no policy for fringe benefits for contract employees, less recognition as demotivating factors, lack of managerial support, (d) socio-cultural factors including professional stigmatization and identity crisis. However, some factors, like no policy for the interpersonal relationship between employees and no fringe benefits for contract-based employees, persist in public sector hospitals and have less recognition as a demotivation factor in private sector hospitals.
Conclusion: Based on the evidence presented, there are increasing trends in the shortfall of nurses in developing countries that can lead to a devastating impact on health outcomes. The study finds out the varied factors that hinder retaining them are individual, interpersonal, organizational, and socio-cultural factors. Although, the data also revealed an urgent need for policy-level implications in hiring adequate nurses, career advancement opportunities, shared governance, recognition of nurses, and flex full-time nurses’ policy.

First Page

1

Last Page

93

Download

Share

COinS