Weidner Arlene, Graham Carol, Smith Jennifer, Aitken Julia, Odell Jill
Research to Action Project, Calgary, AB.
Nurs Leadersh (Tor Ont). 2012 Mar;25 Spec No 2012:130-47. doi: 10.12927/cjnl.2012.22799.
Retention and recruitment strategies are essential to address nursing workforce supply and ensure the viability of healthcare delivery in Canada. Knowledge transfer between experienced nurses and those new to the profession is also a focus for concern. The Multi-Employer/United Nurses of Alberta Joint Committee attempted to address these issues by introducing a number of retention and recruitment (R&R) initiatives for nurses in Alberta: in total, seven different programs that were introduced to some 24,000 nurses and employers across the province of Alberta in 2001 (the Transitional Graduate Nurse Recruitment Program) and 2007 (the remaining six R&R programs). Approximately 1,600 nurses participated in the seven programs between 2001 and 2009. Of the seven strategies, one supported entry into the workplace, two were pre-retirement strategies and four involved flexible work options. This project entailed a retrospective evaluation of the seven programs and differed from the other Research to Action (RTA) projects because it was solely concerned with evaluation of pre-existing initiatives. All seven programs were launched without a formal evaluation component, and the tracking of local uptake varied throughout the province. The union and various employers faced challenges in implementing these strategies in a timely fashion, as most were designed at the bargaining table during negotiations. As a result, systems, policy and procedural changes had to be developed to support their implementation after they became available.Participants in the programs indicated improvements over time in several areas, including higher levels of satisfaction with work–life balance, hours worked and their current practice and profession. The evaluation found that participation led to perceived improvements in nurses' confidence, greater control over their work environment, decreased stress levels, increased energy and morale and perceived improved ability to provide high-quality care. However, no formal implementation plan had been developed or made available to assist employers with implementation of the programs. The findings highlight the need for more discipline in communicating, implementing and evaluating initiatives such as those evaluated retrospectively in this project. In particular, key performance indicators, baseline data, monitoring mechanisms and an evaluation plan need to be developed prior to implementation.
留住护士和招聘策略对于解决加拿大护理劳动力供应问题以及确保医疗服务的可持续性至关重要。经验丰富的护士与新入职护士之间的知识转移也是一个备受关注的焦点。多雇主/艾伯塔省联合护士委员会试图通过为艾伯塔省的护士推出多项留住护士和招聘（R&R）举措来解决这些问题：2001年（过渡性毕业生护士招聘计划）和2007年（其余六个R&R计划）总共向艾伯塔省约24,000名护士和雇主推出了七个不同的项目。2001年至2009年期间，约1,600名护士参与了这七个项目。在这七个策略中，一个支持进入职场，两个是退休前策略，四个涉及灵活的工作选择。该项目对这七个项目进行了回顾性评估，与其他研究转化为行动（RTA）项目不同，因为它只关注对现有举措的评估。所有七个项目在启动时都没有正式的评估部分，并且全省各地对当地采用情况的跟踪情况各不相同。工会和各雇主在及时实施这些策略方面面临挑战，因为大多数策略是在谈判期间的谈判桌上制定的。因此，在这些策略可用后，必须制定系统、政策和程序方面的变革以支持其实施。项目参与者表示，随着时间的推移，在几个方面有所改善，包括对工作与生活平衡、工作时长以及当前工作和职业的满意度提高。评估发现，参与这些项目使护士的自信心得到提升，对工作环境的掌控力增强，压力水平降低，精力和士气增加，并且认为提供高质量护理的能力有所提高。然而，尚未制定或提供正式的实施计划来协助雇主实施这些项目。研究结果凸显了在沟通、实施和评估此类举措（如本项目中进行回顾性评估的举措）时需要更加严谨。特别是，在实施之前需要制定关键绩效指标、基线数据、监测机制和评估计划。
