Nurse staffing and the relationship to job satisfaction and retention.

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational research study was to examine the relationships between nurse staffing, job satisfaction, and nurse retention in an acute care hospital environment. Results indicated a moderately strong, inverse relationship between job satisfaction and nurse retention. A weak positive relationship between job satisfaction and nurse staffing was identified. Nurses reported experiencing job dissatisfaction in the past 6 months specifically related to the number of patients assigned. Analysis suggested nurses are staying with their current employer because of the current economic environment. Improving nurse staffing will be necessary when the economy improves to prevent the departure of discontented nurses from acute care facilities.