The exit interview: a nursing management tool.

The exit interview can be an important source of data on how employees view their employer--information nurse administrators can use to improve relations between the hospital or agency and nurses and thus to decrease turnover. This article presents a rationale for the exit interview as a serious tool of nursing management and not just a perfunctory routine. It points out both the obvious and hidden costs of employee termination and replacement. Tips on eliciting answers that are informative and useful for improving future operations are given.