Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges for the workforce, leading to high turnover. Leaders worked on engaging employees and creating a culture that encourages retention. The global nursing workforce totals 27.9 million, with about 5.9 million vacancies. "Stay Rounds" is an innovative strategy to improve nursing retention in healthcare institutions, focusing on preventing burnout and turnover by fostering a supportive work environment.
Purpose: The project aims to enhance employee retention and engagement through a comprehensive process that involves conducting Stay Round Interviews with employees, ultimately leading to a reduction and reduction in turnover rates.
Methods: The project was carried out by the nursing professional development department, and stay rounds were tested at one outpatient clinical center. Baseline data were collected to assess the 12-month employee turnover rate before conducting stay rounds. Resources, including an employee factsheet, were developed for nurse supervisors to guide them during the stay-round interviews.
During the 1:1 stay round interview, nurse supervisors assessed the employees' intentions to stay in their current positions and the reasons that would lead them to resign.
Results: Stay rounds provided an opportunity for employees to share their feedback, concerns, and ideas in a safe and confidential environment. Nurse supervisors received insightful information that was utilized to justify hiring additional staff, ultimately improving retention. Stay rounds identified two promotions that could be awarded and there were not any resignations noted during the project implementation.
Impact on Practice: Unlike traditional exit interviews our annual evaluations, Stay Rounds involve regular, mature, and structured conversations with nurses and staff members to identify and address factors influencing job satisfaction, professional growth, and overall intentions to stay. It can be used to identify and address issues or challenges that may be contributing to turnover, ultimately leading to a more supportive and positive work environment that encourages nurses and
staff to stay. By implementing Stay Rounds as part of a comprehensive retention strategy, healthcare facilities can demonstrate their commitment to their employees' well-being and professional growth, leading to higher retention rates and overall job satisfaction.
Notes
References:
Baik, D., & Zierler, B. (2019). RN job satisfaction and retention after an interprofessional team intervention. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 41(4), 615-630.
Gaffney, T. (2022). Retaining nurses to mitigate shortages. Am Nurse J, 17(1), 15-16.
Pressley, C., & Garside, J. (2023). Safeguarding the retention of nurses: A systematic review on determinants of nurse's intentions to stay. Nursing Open, 10(5), 2842-2858.
Wang, A., Devine, C., Hamilton, L., & Layton, M. (2023). Do Not Wait Until It Is Too Late: Using Stay Interviews to Engage and Retain Nursing Staff. Nursing Leadership (1910-622X), 36(1).
World Health Organization (WHO). (2020). State of the World's Nursing 2020. Retrieved from. https://www.who.int/publications-detail/nursing-report-2020
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Lead Author Affiliation
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Workforce, Sustainable Development Goals, Mentoring and Coaching, Job Satisfaction, Job Involvement, Job Satisfaction of Nurses, Employee Retention, Stay Rounds, Corporate Culture
Recommended Citation
Brody, Shelly L., "The Future Starts Here: Stay Rounds for Meaningful Nurse Engagement and Job Satisfaction" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 129.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/posters_2026/129
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-09-30
The Future Starts Here: Stay Rounds for Meaningful Nurse Engagement and Job Satisfaction
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges for the workforce, leading to high turnover. Leaders worked on engaging employees and creating a culture that encourages retention. The global nursing workforce totals 27.9 million, with about 5.9 million vacancies. "Stay Rounds" is an innovative strategy to improve nursing retention in healthcare institutions, focusing on preventing burnout and turnover by fostering a supportive work environment.
Purpose: The project aims to enhance employee retention and engagement through a comprehensive process that involves conducting Stay Round Interviews with employees, ultimately leading to a reduction and reduction in turnover rates.
Methods: The project was carried out by the nursing professional development department, and stay rounds were tested at one outpatient clinical center. Baseline data were collected to assess the 12-month employee turnover rate before conducting stay rounds. Resources, including an employee factsheet, were developed for nurse supervisors to guide them during the stay-round interviews.
During the 1:1 stay round interview, nurse supervisors assessed the employees' intentions to stay in their current positions and the reasons that would lead them to resign.
Results: Stay rounds provided an opportunity for employees to share their feedback, concerns, and ideas in a safe and confidential environment. Nurse supervisors received insightful information that was utilized to justify hiring additional staff, ultimately improving retention. Stay rounds identified two promotions that could be awarded and there were not any resignations noted during the project implementation.
Impact on Practice: Unlike traditional exit interviews our annual evaluations, Stay Rounds involve regular, mature, and structured conversations with nurses and staff members to identify and address factors influencing job satisfaction, professional growth, and overall intentions to stay. It can be used to identify and address issues or challenges that may be contributing to turnover, ultimately leading to a more supportive and positive work environment that encourages nurses and
staff to stay. By implementing Stay Rounds as part of a comprehensive retention strategy, healthcare facilities can demonstrate their commitment to their employees' well-being and professional growth, leading to higher retention rates and overall job satisfaction.
Description
During the pandemic, healthcare staffing faced challenges. The "Stay Rounds" initiative aimed to improve nurse and staff retention at an outpatient clinical center. It involved collecting turnover data, providing supervisor resources, and conducting feedback interviews. The initiative led to additional hires and promotions, with no resignations reported, creating a supportive environment and demonstrating commitment to staff well-being.