Abstract
Background: The number of workers resigning from their jobs in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic reached rates so high, the time period has been called the “Great Resignation”. There is minimal formal research on this phenomenon in workers generally. Similarly, much of the literature available specific to nursing during this time period are editorials and surveys. Studies that were conducted prior to the “Great Resignation”, focused on the reasons nurses were leaving the profession. This study seeks to understand what motivates nurses to work. The Motivation to Work theory posits factors including salary, working conditions, and policies– many of the reasons cited by nurses for leaving, must be satisfactory to not increase dissatisfaction, but don’t actually contribute to satisfaction. Rather, after these elements are met, factors such as growth and advancement potential, achievement, recognition, and responsibility are what can actually increase satisfaction. This purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of nurses practicing during and after this phenomenon known as the “Great Resignation” through the lens of the Motivation to Work theory.
Methods: This study used a transcendental phenomenological design. Participants were recruited via LinkedIn, the Sigma listserv, and via the snowball method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted over Zoom from 1/18/2024-2/8/2024. Participants were offered a $25 Amazon gift card for their participation. Data were analyzed using Atlas ti software using a transcendental phenomenological approach.
Results: Eighteen Registered Nurses were interviewed. There were a wide variety of specialties represented. From the data collected, five major themes emerged: why I am a nurse, factors leading to dissatisfaction in nursing, things nurses need, the future of nursing, and COVID.
Conclusion: The “Great Resignation” is an emerging phenomenon impacting the nursing profession. This study examined nurses practicing during this time period through the lens of the Motivation to Work Theory. Nurses chose the profession, and remain in it, to help people and deliver high quality care to their patients. Work environment factors are creating barriers to nurses delivering this care and nurses are feeling a lack of leadership support, autonomy, appreciation, and value. Understanding factors that motivate nurses to practice, can help leaders implement strategies to support nurses and enhance job satisfaction.
Notes
References:
Berlin, G., Lapointe, M., & Murphy, M. (2022). Surveyed nurses consider leaving direct patient care at elevated rates: Nurses and other healthcare professionals shed light on why they are considering leaving, as well as what might make them stay. McKinsey & Company, 1–12.
Boston-Fleischhauer, C. (2022). Reversing the Great Resignation in Nursing: More Things to Consider. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 52(6), 324–326. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000001155
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (Fourth edition). SAGE.
Driscoll, A., Grant, M. J., Carroll, D., Dalton, S., Deaton, C., Jones, I., Lehwaldt, D., McKee, G., Munyombwe, T., & Astin, F. (2018). The effect of nurse-to-patient ratios on nurse-sensitive patient outcomes in acute specialist units: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 17(1), 6–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474515117721561
Friese, C. R., Medvec, B. R., Marriott, D. J., Khadr, L., Rurka Wade, M., Riba, M., & Titler, M. G. (2024). Changes in Registered Nurse Employment Plans and Workplace Assessments. JAMA Network Open, 7(7), e2421680. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21680
Hagans, B. (2021, November). The impact of the great resignation on healthcare workers. New York Nurse, 2.
Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. B. (1993). The motivation to work. Transaction Publishers.
Jarden, R. J., Scott, S., Rickard, N., Long, K., Burke, S., Morrison, M., Mills, L., Barker, E., Sharma, K., & Twomey, B. (2023). Factors contributing to nurse resignation during COVID - 19: A qualitative descriptive study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79(7), 2484–2501. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15596
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Loft, M. I., & Jensen, C. S. (2020). What makes experienced nurses stay in their position? A qualitative interview study. Journal of Nursing Management, jonm.13082. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13082
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Miller, A. L., & Jhamb, S. (2022). A Comprehensive Programmatic Investigation of the Antecedents and Consequences Related With the Great Resignation of Individuals and Organizations: A COVID-19 Strategic Review and Research Agenda. Journal of Management Policy and Practice, 23(2). https://doi.org/10.33423/jmpp.v23i2.5264
Min, A., Baek, W., & Choi, S. (2023). What are the key factors influencing newly graduated nurses’ preference for choosing their workplace? A best–worst scaling approach. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 55(6), 1204–1214. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12920
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Poindexter, K. (2022). The Great Resignation in Health Care and Academia: Rebuilding the Postpandemic Nursing Workforce. Nursing Education Perspectives, 43(4), 207–208. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000001003
Raso, R., Fitzpatrick, J. J., & Masick, K. (2022). Perceptions of US nurses and nurse leaders on authentic nurse leadership, healthy work environment, intent to leave and nurse well being during a second pandemic year: A cross sectional study. Journal of Nursing Management, 30(7), 2699–2706. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13712
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Sigma Membership
Zeta Iota
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Phenomenology
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Workforce, Leadership, Workforce Planning and Development, Post Pandemic, Motivation to Work
Recommended Citation
Kittle, Jolene, "Exploring the Experience of Nurses Practicing During the Great Resignation" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 23.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/posters_2025/23
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, 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. 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
2025-11-20
Exploring the Experience of Nurses Practicing During the Great Resignation
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Background: The number of workers resigning from their jobs in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic reached rates so high, the time period has been called the “Great Resignation”. There is minimal formal research on this phenomenon in workers generally. Similarly, much of the literature available specific to nursing during this time period are editorials and surveys. Studies that were conducted prior to the “Great Resignation”, focused on the reasons nurses were leaving the profession. This study seeks to understand what motivates nurses to work. The Motivation to Work theory posits factors including salary, working conditions, and policies– many of the reasons cited by nurses for leaving, must be satisfactory to not increase dissatisfaction, but don’t actually contribute to satisfaction. Rather, after these elements are met, factors such as growth and advancement potential, achievement, recognition, and responsibility are what can actually increase satisfaction. This purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of nurses practicing during and after this phenomenon known as the “Great Resignation” through the lens of the Motivation to Work theory.
Methods: This study used a transcendental phenomenological design. Participants were recruited via LinkedIn, the Sigma listserv, and via the snowball method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted over Zoom from 1/18/2024-2/8/2024. Participants were offered a $25 Amazon gift card for their participation. Data were analyzed using Atlas ti software using a transcendental phenomenological approach.
Results: Eighteen Registered Nurses were interviewed. There were a wide variety of specialties represented. From the data collected, five major themes emerged: why I am a nurse, factors leading to dissatisfaction in nursing, things nurses need, the future of nursing, and COVID.
Conclusion: The “Great Resignation” is an emerging phenomenon impacting the nursing profession. This study examined nurses practicing during this time period through the lens of the Motivation to Work Theory. Nurses chose the profession, and remain in it, to help people and deliver high quality care to their patients. Work environment factors are creating barriers to nurses delivering this care and nurses are feeling a lack of leadership support, autonomy, appreciation, and value. Understanding factors that motivate nurses to practice, can help leaders implement strategies to support nurses and enhance job satisfaction.
Description
The time period after COVID-19 has been coined as the “Great Resignation”. Workers, including nurses were leaving their jobs at record rates. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of nurses practicing during and after the “Great Resignation” time period through the lens of the Motivation to Work Theory. This study used a transcendental phenomenological design. The findings from this study help to understand factors that motivated nurses to continue to practice.