Abstract
Background: Hospital nurses frequently work long and irregular shifts, exposing them to high fatigue and stress that undermine wellbeing and retention. Rigid rosters limit autonomy, erode work-life balance, and contribute to turnover. In New Zealand, the situation is intensified by chronic workforce shortages, an ageing nursing population, and rising reliance on internationally qualified nurses. Flexible scheduling and shift choice, which give nurses greater control over when and how they work, may offer an effective strategy to reduce fatigue,increase job satisfaction, and improve retention.
Aim: To explore how flexible scheduling and shift choice affect fatigue, job satisfaction, and retention among nurses working in New Zealand’s public hospitals.
Methods: This mixed-methods explanatory sequential study integrates quantitative and qualitative approaches. Phase 1 uses a nationwide online survey of registered nurses (target n ≈ 601) employing validated instruments such as the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery (OFER-15) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire(MSQ) to measure fatigue, job satisfaction, and perceived scheduling control. Phase 2 consists of 20 semi-structured interviews with shift-working nurses and nurse managers responsible for rostering. Quantitative data will undergo descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses; qualitative data will be examined through reflexive thematic analysis to contextualise numerical findings .
Expected Outcomes: Preliminary results are expected to show that higher scheduling flexibility and shift autonomy correlate withl ower fatigue and stronger retention intentions. The study will also identify organisational and demographic factors that facilitate or hinder flexible scheduling, including management practices, staffing levels, and age-related tolerance to shift work.
Implications for Practice: Findings will provide evidence-based recommendations to inform workforce policy, contributing to improved scheduling approaches that balance organisational demands with nurses’ wellbeing.
Notes
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Key References:
Alsayed, S. (2018). The different meanings of flexible shift work scheduling: An integrative literature review. Journal of Nursing & Healthcare, 3(3), 1-11.
Bae, S.-H. (2023). Association of work schedules with nurse turnover: A cross-sectional national study.International Journal of Public Health, 68, 1605732.
Clendon, J., & Walker, L. (2016). Nurses aged over 50 and their perceptions of flexible working. Journal of Nursing Management, 24(3), 336-346.
Dall'Ora, C., Ejebu, O.-Z., Ball, J., & Griffiths, P. (2023). Shift work characteristics and burnout among nurses:Cross-sectional survey. Occupational Medicine.
Ejebu, O.-Z., Dall'Ora, C., & Griffiths, P. (2021). Nurses' experiences and preferences around shift patterns: Ascoping review. PloS one, 16(8).
Gander, P., O'Keeffe, K., Santos-Fernandez, E., Huntington, A., Walker, L., & Willis, J. (2019). Fatigue and nurses' work patterns: An online questionnaire survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 98, 67-74.
Additional references included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Xi Omicron at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Explanatory
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Policy and Advocacy, Stress and Coping, Workforce, Scheduling, Shift Systems, Flextime, Nursing Services--Personnel Management, Employment of Nurses, Job Satisfaction, Work Environment, Job Satisfaction of Nurses, Public Hospitals, New Zealand
Recommended Citation
Oyekunle, Adetoun Adebimpe, "Flexible Scheduling: Pathway to Building Sustainable Nursing Workforce: A New Zealand Context" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 339.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/339
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
Flexible Scheduling: Pathway to Building Sustainable Nursing Workforce: A New Zealand Context
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Background: Hospital nurses frequently work long and irregular shifts, exposing them to high fatigue and stress that undermine wellbeing and retention. Rigid rosters limit autonomy, erode work-life balance, and contribute to turnover. In New Zealand, the situation is intensified by chronic workforce shortages, an ageing nursing population, and rising reliance on internationally qualified nurses. Flexible scheduling and shift choice, which give nurses greater control over when and how they work, may offer an effective strategy to reduce fatigue,increase job satisfaction, and improve retention.
Aim: To explore how flexible scheduling and shift choice affect fatigue, job satisfaction, and retention among nurses working in New Zealand’s public hospitals.
Methods: This mixed-methods explanatory sequential study integrates quantitative and qualitative approaches. Phase 1 uses a nationwide online survey of registered nurses (target n ≈ 601) employing validated instruments such as the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery (OFER-15) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire(MSQ) to measure fatigue, job satisfaction, and perceived scheduling control. Phase 2 consists of 20 semi-structured interviews with shift-working nurses and nurse managers responsible for rostering. Quantitative data will undergo descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses; qualitative data will be examined through reflexive thematic analysis to contextualise numerical findings .
Expected Outcomes: Preliminary results are expected to show that higher scheduling flexibility and shift autonomy correlate withl ower fatigue and stronger retention intentions. The study will also identify organisational and demographic factors that facilitate or hinder flexible scheduling, including management practices, staffing levels, and age-related tolerance to shift work.
Implications for Practice: Findings will provide evidence-based recommendations to inform workforce policy, contributing to improved scheduling approaches that balance organisational demands with nurses’ wellbeing.
Description
Purpose: To examine how flexible scheduling and shift choice impact nurse fatigue, job satisfaction, and retention in New Zealand public hospitals.
Methodology: Mixed-methods explanatory sequential design.
Significance: Understanding nurses’ experiences of shift choice and flexible scheduling provides valuable insights into how greater autonomy in rostering can reduce fatigue, enhance job satisfaction, and promote a more sustainable nursing workforce.