Abstract
Labor and delivery (L&D) nurses frequently encounter traumatic workplace events that significantly impact their well-being, leading to increased absenteeism and intent to leave the profession (Kendall-Tackett & Beck, 2022; Uddin et al., 2022; Xie et al., 2021). This problem contributes to workforce instability and compromises patient care quality (Al Ismail et al., 2023). The purpose of this study is to examine the correlation between traumatic events, absenteeism, and intent to leave among labor and delivery nurses while discussing strategies to address these challenges.
I performed a mixed-methods study with a national sample of L&D nurses recruited from the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) organization. Participants completed an online survey investigating whether organizational support correlates to absenteeism or intent to leave the profession. Additionally, qualitative interviews explored participants trauma experiences. Participants reported inadequate managerial support following such events, underscoring a critical gap in healthcare leadership contributing to high absenteeism and turnover rates. Findings indicate that hospital leadership has an essential role in mitigating absenteeism and retention issues emphasizing the importance of providing targeted support to nurses post-trauma.
A significant focus of the presentation is the integration of these findings into DNP programs, especially for students preparing for leadership roles. The presentation proposes that DNP curricula include training on emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and creating supportive workplace cultures. By equipping future leaders with these skills, DNP programs can help ensure that hospital leadership is better prepared to address the emotional and psychological needs of their staff, ultimately reducing turnover and improving patient care (Frias et al., 2021). Practical suggestions for incorporating this focus into DNP programs are also discussed. The goal is to prepare DNP graduates to lead organizations that recognize and effectively address the importance of supporting their nursing staff.
In conclusion, the presentation advocates for immediate action from current hospital leaders to support labor and delivery nurses and for the long-term integration of these principles into DNP programs. This dual approach aims to create healthier, more supportive workplace environments that foster nurse retention and improve patient outcomes.
Notes
References: Al Ismail, H., Herzallah, N. H., & Al-Otaibi, S. T. (2023). What are the predictors and costs of nurse absenteeism at select multicenter government hospitals? A cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1073832. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1073832
Frias, A., Hampton, D., Tharp-Barrie, K., & Thomas, J. (2021). The impact of an emotional intelligence training program on transformational leadership. Nursing management, 52(2), 18–25. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NUMA.0000731924.03153.df
Kendall-Tackett, K., & Beck, C. T. (2022). Secondary traumatic stress and moral injury in maternity care providers: A narrative and exploratory review. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, 3, 835811. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2022.835811
Uddin, N., Ayers, S., Khine, R., & Webb, R. (2022). The perceived impact of birth trauma witnessed by maternity health professionals: A systematic review. Midwifery, 114, 103460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2022.103460
Xie, W., Chen, L., Feng, F., Okoli, C. T. C., Tang, P., Zeng, L., Jin, M., Zhang, Y., & Wang, J. (2021). The prevalence of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 120, 103973. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103973
Sigma Membership
Alpha Alpha
Type
Presentation-Oral Standard Event
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Workforce, Stress, Coping
Recommended Citation
Crawford, Catherine, "Supporting Labor and Delivery Nurses Post-Trauma: Addressing Absenteeism and Retention in Practice" (2025). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 1.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2025/presentations_2025/1
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments 2022
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Conference Year
2025
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.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Supporting Labor and Delivery Nurses Post-Trauma: Addressing Absenteeism and Retention in Practice
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Labor and delivery (L&D) nurses frequently encounter traumatic workplace events that significantly impact their well-being, leading to increased absenteeism and intent to leave the profession (Kendall-Tackett & Beck, 2022; Uddin et al., 2022; Xie et al., 2021). This problem contributes to workforce instability and compromises patient care quality (Al Ismail et al., 2023). The purpose of this study is to examine the correlation between traumatic events, absenteeism, and intent to leave among labor and delivery nurses while discussing strategies to address these challenges.
I performed a mixed-methods study with a national sample of L&D nurses recruited from the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) organization. Participants completed an online survey investigating whether organizational support correlates to absenteeism or intent to leave the profession. Additionally, qualitative interviews explored participants trauma experiences. Participants reported inadequate managerial support following such events, underscoring a critical gap in healthcare leadership contributing to high absenteeism and turnover rates. Findings indicate that hospital leadership has an essential role in mitigating absenteeism and retention issues emphasizing the importance of providing targeted support to nurses post-trauma.
A significant focus of the presentation is the integration of these findings into DNP programs, especially for students preparing for leadership roles. The presentation proposes that DNP curricula include training on emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and creating supportive workplace cultures. By equipping future leaders with these skills, DNP programs can help ensure that hospital leadership is better prepared to address the emotional and psychological needs of their staff, ultimately reducing turnover and improving patient care (Frias et al., 2021). Practical suggestions for incorporating this focus into DNP programs are also discussed. The goal is to prepare DNP graduates to lead organizations that recognize and effectively address the importance of supporting their nursing staff.
In conclusion, the presentation advocates for immediate action from current hospital leaders to support labor and delivery nurses and for the long-term integration of these principles into DNP programs. This dual approach aims to create healthier, more supportive workplace environments that foster nurse retention and improve patient outcomes.
Description
Abstract Summary: Labor and delivery nurses face traumatic events that lead to increased absenteeism and turnover due to inadequate managerial support. This presentation explores the impact of these challenges and offers strategies for improvement, focusing on the role of DNP programs in preparing future leaders. By integrating trauma-informed care and supportive leadership training, DNP graduates can better address staff needs, reduce turnover, and improve patient care outcomes.