Identifying the Positive Energy for Retention in Clinical Nurses: A Focus Group Study

AIM: To identify the 'positive energy' that inspires nurses' retention in the profession. BACKGROUND: Previous studies focused on the negative extrinsic factors associated with nurses leaving the profession. However, scant research explored the personal intrinsic essence regarding why nurses remain in the profession. METHOD: This study used a qualitative descriptive design. Ten focus groups including 53 participants were recruited by purposive sampling from five hospitals in Taiwan. Data were collected between March 2015 and January 2016 through semi-structured focus group interviews. The data were examined by content analysis. RESULTS: Six themes were identified, including sense of mission, achievement, passion, meaning of nursing, personal characteristics and intrinsic coping. CONCLUSION: Findings emerged from this study characterizing 'positive energy' as a steady inner strength, not easily changed with the external environment, which inspires the retention of staff nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The themes identified in this study can be used to develop an instrument for assessing nurses' inner attributes which may help managers recruit nurses possessing 'positive energy' of retention. Future researchers may develop an intervention programme to cultivate nurses 'positive energy' and further test its effect on nurse retention.