Exploring Leadership Strategy Influence on Nursing Personnel Retention Within Safety net Hospitals
Exploring Leadership Strategy Influence on Nursing Personnel Retention Within SafetyNet Hospitals by Carl L. Brown MA, Webster University, 2013 MBA, William Carey University, 1997 BS, University of Southern Mississippi, 1995 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University December 2016 Abstract Frequent turnover among a hospital's nursing staff can profoundly impact organizational operating costs. With a national turnover rate of 17% in 2015, understanding the impact of management approaches on nurse attrition is vital to business success. Guided by Homan's social exchange theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore leadership strategies used by safety net hospital leaders to increase nursing personnel retention. Data collection consisted of semistructured interviews from a purposive snowball sampling of 8 senior directors working at a safety net hospital in southern Maryland. Additional information collected involved documents and artifacts related to human resources management policies and guidelines. Constant comparative method enabled the analysis and identification of latent patterns in words used by respondents. Through methodological triangulation, several themes emerged. These themes included engagement and management support, education and career development, teamwork and work atmosphere, recognition, relationship building and communication, and health reform and innovation. According to the study results, increasing employee engagement, offering training and career development, performing technological upgrades, and developing sustainable relationships are appropriate approaches for gaining nursing personnel commitment. The findings of this study are important to senior leaders and middle managers in healthcare and other industries as they seek to attract talented staff members to sustain their organizations. The conclusions in this study may contribute to positive social change through improved nursing staff retention, leading to better patient experiences, healthier communities, and more satisfied customers.Frequent turnover among a hospital's nursing staff can profoundly impact organizational operating costs. With a national turnover rate of 17% in 2015, understanding the impact of management approaches on nurse attrition is vital to business success. Guided by Homan's social exchange theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore leadership strategies used by safety net hospital leaders to increase nursing personnel retention. Data collection consisted of semistructured interviews from a purposive snowball sampling of 8 senior directors working at a safety net hospital in southern Maryland. Additional information collected involved documents and artifacts related to human resources management policies and guidelines. Constant comparative method enabled the analysis and identification of latent patterns in words used by respondents. Through methodological triangulation, several themes emerged. These themes included engagement and management support, education and career development, teamwork and work atmosphere, recognition, relationship building and communication, and health reform and innovation. According to the study results, increasing employee engagement, offering training and career development, performing technological upgrades, and developing sustainable relationships are appropriate approaches for gaining nursing personnel commitment. The findings of this study are important to senior leaders and middle managers in healthcare and other industries as they seek to attract talented staff members to sustain their organizations. The conclusions in this study may contribute to positive social change through improved nursing staff retention, leading to better patient experiences, healthier communities, and more satisfied customers. Exploring Leadership Strategy Influence on Nursing Personnel Retention Within SafetyNet Hospitals by Carl L. Brown MA, Webster University, 2013 MBA, William Carey University, 1997 BS, University of Southern Mississippi, 1995 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University December 2016 Dedication I dedicate this doctoral study to my family for their unconditional love, patience, and support. I am who I am because of the prayers and words of encouragement from each of you. You gave me the space I neeeded to make this happen and understood when I never seemed to have time for you and forgave me for the many times I forgot to call on your special day. Karl and Alicia, hopefully Dad's example will serve to motivate you to strive for your highest goals in life. Remember, no sacrifice, no reward! To all of my friends who supported me and cheered me on when I would get frustrated, I just want to say thank you for your understanding. One thing I came to learn on this lonely journey was that true friends will be there to the end. A wise man once said, "No good man embarks upon a long and arduous journey without first invoking the aid of a deity." I thank God for his grace and mercy and supplying all of my needs during this challenging expedition. I want to send a heartfelt "Thank You" to all nurses, especially those serving our most vulnerable populations. I continue to be amazed at your commitment to caring for others with compassion, empathy, and professionalism. We will never be able to pay you your true worth, but know that there are blessings in store. For we are reminded that "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Acknowledgments I want to acknowledge and thank my doctoral study committee chairperson Dr. Jamie Patterson, for her astute guidance and motivation throughout this process. I would also like to thank my second committee member, Dr. Jon Corey and university research reviewer Dr. Jim Savard for their sage advice and support in bringing this project to fruition. Finally, a special thanks to Dr. Jacquie Payne Borden for her outstanding support in helping me to gain access to research participants. You were truly a blessing!