In this column, Laura J. Wood, DNP, RN, NEA‑BC, FAAN, Executive Vice President, Patient Care Operations, System Chief Nurse Executive, and Sporing Carpenter Chair for Nursing at Boston Children's Hospital, shares the leadership philosophies and structural decisions that have enabled innovative clinical practice and workforce stability in one of the nation's most complex pediatric health systems. As President of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Dr Wood brings a national perspective on professional development, certification, and the future of nursing leadership. Her insights reflect a consistent belief: stability, excellence, and well‑being are not accidental, but the result of intentional thought leadership and planning.

"I quit because…": A psychological interpretation of push-pull dynamics of employee attrition informed by explainable machine learning.

A multimethod study of the work profile and practice environment of infection preventionists in Georgia nursing homes: Reflections and lessons learned.

Optimizing hospice care: A scoping review of staffing strategies to enhance practice.

Understanding inpatient nurse turnover among new graduates: A scoping review of factors impacting the first 2 years of practice.

ABSTRACT Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Chile serves a large share of students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and relies on teachers whose career paths differ from those in general education. Many of them enter teaching as a second profession after working in the productive sector, often acquiring pedagogical training while already in service. These distinctive pathways pose challenges for teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development in a context of high turnover and persistent shortages of qualified staff. This study examines the trajectories of VET teachers in Chile between 2015 and 2024, focusing on patterns of turnover and attrition. Using a longitudinal quantitative approach based on national administrative records from the Ministry of Education, we estimated discrete-time multilevel logistic regression models to identify individual, contractual, institutional, and contextual factors associated with teachers’ mobility. Findings show a marked decrease in turnover during the pandemic years and highlight the influence of contract type, tenure in the school, and geographical location. These results contribute new evidence on the dynamics of VET teachers’ careers and provide insights for designing policies that strengthen workforce stability and professional development in this strategic sector of the Chilean school system.

Purpose Depression is a prevalent mental health challenge that impairs employees’ ability to function at work and may shorten how long they stay with an organization. Healthcare workers (HCWs) face heightened vulnerability due to emotional strain, long hours and job demands. Drawing on the job demands-resources model, this study examined whether psychological ownership and work engagement could help lessen the negative impact of depression on HCWs’ plans to remain with their employer. Design/methodology/approach We collected data from 199 US HCWs, measuring depressive symptoms, psychological ownership, work engagement and the likelihood of staying at their organization for five years. Findings About one in five participants (22.1%) screened positive for major depressive disorder (MDD) and were less likely to intend to stay with their work organization long term. However, when psychological ownership and work engagement were included, depression was no longer a significant predictor of turnover intention. Practical implications These findings suggest that interventions that foster a sense of ownership and engagement may help healthcare organizations retain valuable staff, even among those experiencing depressive symptoms. Originality/value This study is among the first to show that depression does not inevitably undermine healthcare workers’ retention intentions when psychological ownership and work engagement are present. By integrating the job demands-resources framework with positive psychological resources, the study advances theory and offers actionable pathways for organizations to support workforce stability despite mental health challenges.

This study investigated the relationships among job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, and turnover intention among nurses. The research was conducted with a sample of 356 nurses employed at a university hospital and examined the moderating roles of demographic variables, including age, marital status, experience at the hospital, and working time in the profession. The data collection tool was organized into two main sections. The first section focused on gathering socio-demographic information, including gender, age, marital status, experience at the hospital, and working time in the profession. The second section comprised validated scales used to measure the study variables. Data analysis was conducted using statistical software. Descriptive statistics were first employed to examine the demographic characteristics of the sample. To test the moderating effects of demographic variables on the relationship between emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction, the PROCESS Macro was utilized. For the moderation analysis, demographic variables such as age, marital status, hospital experience, and professional tenure were utilized. Other variables, including gender and educational status, were used solely for descriptive statistics. The findings indicated that experience at the hospital moderated the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention, while age, marital status, and working time in the profession moderated the relationship between emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction. Given the critical importance of sustainable human resources in the healthcare sector, these results offer valuable insights for healthcare administrators and policymakers aiming to enhance nurse retention and improve workforce stability. Given the critical importance of sustainable human resources in the healthcare sector, these results offer valuable insights for healthcare administrators and policymakers aiming to enhance nurse retention and improve workforce stability. The fact that the study was conducted at a single center in Turkey constitutes a limitation. This study offers guidance for healthcare institutions aiming to improve nurse retention. Emotional exhaustion reduces job satisfaction and increases turnover intention, especially among early- and mid-career nurses. Hospitals can reduce turnover through burnout-prevention strategies such as supportive supervision, mentorship, flexible scheduling, and improved staffing and reward systems. The identification of key demographic moderators (e.g. age, experience, marital status) enables institutions to tailor interventions- for example, career-development and coping-skills programs for younger nurses and work-family balance support for mid-career/married nurses. Nurse burnout and turnover undermine the quality, safety, and accessibility of patient care. By underscoring the importance of supporting nurses' well-being, this study contributes to public discussions on strengthening healthcare systems. Reducing turnover can enhance patient outcomes, public trust, and system resilience-particularly important during public health crises. In this study, a contribution to the literature was made by testing the validity of the Conservation of Resources Theory while determining the relationships among job satisfaction, burnout, and turnover intention. Furthermore, the study may provide guidance to healthcare administrators and policymakers in understanding the factors that contribute to workforce retention among nurses.

Burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, is common among healthcare workers, particularly in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Longitudinal data from low- and middle-income countries are limited. Repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted among PICU staff at a Brazilian public hospital from 2020 to 2023 using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). Participants were classified into behavioral profiles (engaged, ineffective, overextended, disengaged, burnout). Emotional exhaustion increased from 2.47 ± 1.17 in 2020 to 3.33 ± 1.30 in 2023 (p = 0.027), while depersonalization rose from 1.13 ± 1.07 to 1.86 ± 0.98 (p = 0.014). Personal accomplishment declined from 4.62 ± 0.79 to 4.11 ± 0.84 (p = 0.048). Overextended staff increased from 22.5% to 44%, whereas engaged workers fell from 45% to 16%. Burnout worsened over time among PICU staff in this Brazilian tertiary center. Protected breaks, peer support, and AI-assisted monitoring may help preserve staff wellbeing and workforce stability in resource-limited settings.

Factors impacting Western Australian midwives' intention to stay: A mixed methods study.

Japan's Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) has expanded into a major conduit for foreign labor, primarily from Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. While it was originally established to facilitate skill and technology transfer to developing nations, numerous reports indicate persistent issues of wage underpayment, excessive overtime, and limited access to healthcare. This commentary integrates evidence from legal, employment, and public health perspectives to illustrate systemic inequities affecting technical interns as they increasingly contribute to Japan's health and long-term care sector. It also addresses gender-related vulnerabilities and enforcement challenges. In addition, the Employment for Skill Development (ESD) framework is discussed, with attention to how targeted policy refinements can improve worker protection without undermining its core goals of skill development and workforce stability, alongside the cultural barriers that may constrain their effectiveness. The commentary proposes directions to align Japan's migrant labor systems with universal health coverage and labor law principles, emphasizing equitable protection and sustainable reform.

Nurse burnout poses a significant risk to workforce stability. This study investigated the impact of equine-assisted learning (EAL) on secondary traumatic stress, job burnout, subjective distress, and resiliency among nurses. Effective interventions for early detection and management of stress and burnout are essential for workforce stability. Using a pre-post-interventional design, this study evaluated the impact of EAL on psychosocial well-being. Outcomes were measured using self-reported questionnaires at baseline, postintervention, and 1-month follow-up. Linear mixed models were used to assess score differences over time. EAL significantly reduced secondary stress by an average of 6.83 (P<0.001), job burnout by a mean drop of 6.45 (P<0.05), and subjective distress by a mean decrease of 9.02 (P<0.01) at 1-month follow-up, while resilience showed a short-term increase postintervention by 1.4 (P<0.001). Implementing EAL for nurses may enhance nurses' well-being and improve the quality of patient care.

Academic plastic surgery continues to face challenges in recruiting and retaining faculty. Although prior studies have reported rising faculty attrition, updated national data in academic plastic surgery reflecting recent workforce and institutional changes are lacking. A 29-item electronic survey was distributed in March to April of 2025 to chairs and chiefs of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited plastic surgery programs. The survey assessed trends during the past decade in faculty hiring, resignation, compensation, mentorship, benefits, and retention strategies. Thirty-five programs (43.8% response rate) were included. Faculty recruitment was concentrated at the assistant professor level, with an average of 1.7, 4.3, and 6.5 faculty added during the past 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Concurrently, faculty losses averaged 0.4, 2.2, and 3.0, with turnover rates of 4.2%, 29.1%, and 38.9% during the past 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Retention rates declined over time, from 95.8% at 1 year to 61.1% at 10 years, with only 8.6% of programs having a formal retention committee. Family considerations (54.3%) and inadequate compensation (34.3%) were the most cited reasons for faculty departure. Reported retention strategies included competitive compensation packages (80.0%), professional development initiatives (74.3%), mentorship programs (65.7%), and work-life balance accommodations (45.7%), awards and recognition (37.1%), and flexible scheduling (28.6%). Despite continued faculty growth, long-term retention remains a significant challenge in academic plastic surgery. Compensation alone does not seem sufficient to ensure faculty longevity. Broader institutional strategies, including formal retention committee creation, are needed to sustain faculty engagement and ensure workforce stability in the decade ahead.

The global shortage of healthcare professionals is a critical challenge driven by demographic changes, workforce attrition, and increasing healthcare demands. Older professionals contribute valuable experience and interpersonal skills but are often underutilized due to stereotypes, health concerns, and challenges in adapting to new technologies. This systematic review, conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 reporting guideline, examined strategies to recruit and retain older healthcare professionals and to promote intergenerational collaboration. A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar for studies published before March 2025 that addressed recruitment and retention strategies, workplace diversity, and collaboration across generations. Of 224 records initially identified, 84 met the inclusion criteria and were synthesized narratively. Effective recruitment strategies included community-based outreach and flexible work arrangements, while retention measures such as phased retirement, mentoring programs, and workplace health initiatives supported knowledge transfer, job satisfaction, and workforce stability. Digital knowledge management and structured mentoring programs further facilitated intergenerational collaboration. A structured approach to workforce planning that integrates diversity and inclusivity can help mitigate healthcare workforce shortages by leveraging the strengths of different generations. Ensuring adaptable working conditions, intergenerational collaboration, and continuous knowledge exchange can strengthen workforce resilience and support the sustainability of healthcare systems. Future research should evaluate the long-term effects of these strategies on workforce stability and patient outcomes.

Corporate image is increasingly recognized as a critical factor influencing employee stability, particularly within the dynamic business environment of the Czech Republic. This study investigates the relationship between organizational image and employee stability, focusing on key aspects such as employee training, benefits, and workplace safety. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire distributed to 442 key managerial personnel across various enterprise sizes and sectors, using the CAWI methodology. Responses were measured on a five-point Likert scale, and linear regression modelling was employed to analyze the causal impact of corporate image on employee stability. The findings reveal a statistically significant and positive effect of organizational image on employee stability, with the strongest associations observed in areas related to employee education and benefits. These results underscore the importance of cultivating a positive corporate image as a strategic tool for enhancing employee retention and satisfaction. The study contributes to the broader understanding of human resource management and corporate social responsibility in Central Europe, providing practical implications for managers seeking to strengthen workforce stability through image-building initiatives.

Internationally educated nurses (IENs) play an essential role in sustaining health care systems facing ongoing workforce shortages, yet their integration is often disrupted by structural, cultural, and educational challenges. This narrative synthesis examines global migration patterns, the factors shaping nurses' decisions to relocate, and the barriers they encounter in host countries. Drawing on recent global and US workforce data, the review highlights the magnitude of nursing shortages and the growing reliance on IENs to stabilize care delivery. Findings highlight the need for coordinated strategies that strengthen transition support, promote equitable advancement, and foster inclusive professional environments. A 3-pillar framework is presented to guide IEN-specific skill development, role advancement, and academic progression. Enhancing support for IENs can improve workforce stability and advance high-quality, culturally responsive care.

Purpose This review aims to investigate the progression of work-from-home (WFH) practices through innovation, productivity and turnover intention. The study synthesizes a comprehensive strategic framework that encompasses the key mechanism contributing to effective remote work implementation. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a systematic literature review, bibliometric analysis and nomological network analysis to consolidate 52 peer-reviewed publications from 2000 to 2023. Scopus and Web of Science databases were used for data analysis. Findings The analysis shows an escalation in WFH scholarly articles after 2019. This study identified various theories and nine central thematic clusters relating to flexibility, trust and satisfaction, home office, challenges, inequality and economic barriers, crisis-driven emotional responses, leadership, work-life balance, digital innovation and well-being of employees. The nomological mapping indicates that WFH outcomes emerged through the interaction of organizational, technological and individual antecedents; mediated by well-being, digital competence and work–life balance; and moderated by demographic, cultural and job-related conditions. Practical implications For practitioners, the findings underscore the necessity to invest in digital capabilities, cultivating managerial competence and institutionalizing support mechanisms to ensure that remote work and hybrid work models promote workforce stability and sustained performance. Originality/value This review conceptualizes WFH as a sustainably strategic work model that is reshaping innovation, productivity and retention of employees in digitalized workspaces. It unifies fragmented WFH literature into a comprehensive conceptual framework.

Research capacity building (RCB) aims to enhance skills, embed evidence-informed practice, and contribute to improving patient and workforce outcomes, particularly in rural and remote areas that are disproportionately affected by workforce shortages, limited resources, and geographic isolation. However, evidence on the impact of RCB on health workforce outcomes and the barriers and enablers influencing RCB implementation and its sustainability remains limited. Thus, we mapped the available evidence on the relationship between RCB and health workforce outcomes, including attraction and retention in rural and remote areas, identified key success factors and challenges, and highlighted strategies to inform future policy and practice. A scoping review of published and publicly available grey literature from Australia (January 2000 to end of February 2025) was undertaken following the PRISMA-ScR 2020 statement and Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. CINAHL, MEDLINE, ProQuest Central, and Scopus online databases were searched, supplemented by Google, Google Scholar, and reference snowballing. The interconnectedness of the following domains was explored: (i) health professionals, (ii) research engagement and RCBs, (iii) workforce outcomes, such as attraction and retention, and (iv) rural/remote settings. Both qualitative and quantitative studies were included, with descriptive and thematic analyses conducted deductively and inductively following the socioecological model. Nineteen studies were included: nine qualitative, six quantitative, and four mixed methods. Three examined RCB implementations, three assessed the impact of RCB, one evaluated program effectiveness, and the remainder investigated multiple outcomes, including barriers and facilitators. Included studies reported that RCB initiatives were described as contributing to improved research skills, increased professional satisfaction, and perceived workforce retention, particularly when initiatives provided mentorship, protected time, and addressed locally relevant priorities. Common barriers identified limited organisational support, high workloads, and short-term funding, while strong leadership, embedded research facilitators, and alignment with community needs were key enablers. Longitudinal evidence directly linking RCB initiatives to measurable improvements in workforce attraction and retention was scarce. Our findings suggest a potential association between RCB and strengthened skills, increased professional satisfaction, and improved workforce stability in rural and remote areas. To sustain the impacts of RCB, the findings highlight the importance of locally relevant design, ensure adequate resourcing, and provide strong organisational leadership support. Finally, robust longitudinal evaluations of the impact of RCB on workforce attraction and retention will be essential to confirm and optimise its potential benefits.

ABSTRACT Workplace bullying in nonprofit fundraising poses a significant threat to organizational ethics, employee well‐being, and workforce stability. This mixed‐methods study examines the prevalence, forms, and consequences of bullying among U.S. fundraising professionals and situates these experiences within a metric‐driven managerial culture. Drawing on a national survey ( N = 192) and follow‐up interviews, findings show that 81% of respondents experienced persistent verbal, emotional, or managerial aggression, with supervisors identified as the primary perpetrators. More than one‐third (38%) reported that performance metrics such as donor visit counts and solicitation goals were weaponized to pressure or humiliate staff. Eighty‐two percent reported emotional or psychological harm, and nearly half resigned because of these experiences. The study proposes a conceptual model linking metric‐based oversight to bullying, burnout, and moral distress, arguing that such practices constitute a systemic ethics failure in philanthropy. Implications include reforming managerial evaluation and integrating ethical leadership training.

Nurse leader burnout has intensified due to increasing operational demands, workforce shortages, and prolonged stressors amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding contributors to burnout and protective factors is essential to sustaining leadership capacity and workforce stability. This article examines the prevalence, drivers, and outcomes of burnout among nurse leaders and explores changes in well-being, job satisfaction, and work-related stress over time. A repeated cross-sectional survey was administered to members of the Minnesota Organization of Leaders in Nursing in 2020, 2022, and 2024. The survey incorporated items from the Mini Z burnout tool and the Maslach Burnout Inventory, along with demographic and open-ended questions. Descriptive and comparative analyses were used to evaluate trends. Across 295 responses, nurse leaders reported improvements in job satisfaction, autonomy, and perceived time adequacy. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization decreased over time; however, reports of workplace stress increased. Work-life balance and meaningful work consistently emerged as key factors for thriving. Although indicators of burnout have improved, persistent and rising stress highlights the need for sustained organizational and individual interventions. Ongoing investment in support, autonomy, and well-being strategies is critical to nurse leader resilience and retention.