Retaining the mental health nursing workforce: Early indicators of retention and attrition

In the UK, strategies to improve retention of the mental health workforce feature prominently in health policy. This paper reports on a longitudinal national study into the careers of mental health nurses in the UK. The findings reveal little attrition during the first 6 months after qualification. Investigation of career experiences showed that the main sources of job satisfaction were caregiving opportunities and supportive working relationships. The main sources of dissatisfaction were pay in relation to responsibility, paperwork, continuing education opportunities, and career guidance. Participants were asked whether they predicted being in nursing in the future. Gender and ethnicity were related to likelihood to remain in nursing in 5 years time. Age, having children, educational background, ethnic background, and time in first job were associated with likelihood of remaining in nursing at 10 years. Associations between elements of job satisfaction (quality of clinical supervision, ratio of qualified to unqualified staff, support from immediate line manager, and paperwork) and anticipated retention are complex and there are likely to be interaction effects because of the complexity of the issues. Sustaining positive experiences, remedying sources of dissatisfaction, and supporting diplomates from all backgrounds should be central to the development of retention strategies.