Workforce Assessment of Nurse Anesthetists to Mitigate Intent to Leave and Improve Labor Participation

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to analyze the nurse anesthesia workforce in rural settings to identify strategies to improve retention of employees and encourage increased labor participation. BACKGROUND Nurse anesthetists are the primary anesthesia provider for many rural areas and are critical in providing patients' access to care. Anesthesia shortages have a disproportionate impact on at-risk populations and contribute heavily to rural hospital closures. METHODS This was an exploratory study using a cross-sectional design with paper-based surveys delivered via postal mail. RESULTS Although salary was the top response supporting retention, other effective nonmonetary approaches that included guaranteed time off, feeling valued, and fellow employee morale were identified. CONCLUSION The findings of this study imply that work-life balance with flexibility in scheduling are effective tools to reduce intent to leave and recruitment of nurse anesthetists. Recruitment efforts need to focus more on female providers because they have the greatest potential to enhance labor participation. Nurse executives can use this information to collaborate with the recruitment and retention of these advanced practice providers.