Nurses’ Perspectives on Retention in Namibian Public Health Institutions

Abstract

Staff retention is a critical issue facing healthcare systems worldwide, with significant implications for patient care, institutional efficiency, and overall healthcare delivery. Staff turnover, particularly among nurses, has emerged as a pervasive issue in public health institutions globally, threatening the stability and effectiveness of healthcare delivery systems. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe elements affecting staff retention at the health institution, from the nurses’ perspective. A qualitative approach employing an exploratory and descriptive design was used. Purposive sampling was utilised to select participants from the population. Fifteen nurses working at Intermediate Hospital were sampled, with the sample size determined by data saturation. Thematic data analysis was applied to analyse the data. The investigation uncovered major themes that impact nurses’ retention: excessive workloads due to staffing shortages, inadequate resources, limited management support, salary discrepancies, and a toxic work environment with safety concerns. Based on the identified challenges, recommendations were made on ways to improve staff retention. The study concludes that excessive workloads, inadequate resources, poor management support, salary discrepancies, and toxic work environments critically contribute to nurse turnover. While salary and workload remain important, professional growth, management practices, and work environment improvements have a more substantial impact on retention. A strategic recommendation is to focus on professional development, managerial support, and workplace safety to enhance retention effectively.