What is it about?
Healthcare systems worldwide are grappling with a severe workforce crisis, marked by high burnout rates and frequent job changes among healthcare workers, with demand for their services rising sharply. This crisis leads to longer patient wait times, lower satisfaction, and more medical errors. To address these challenges, especially since over 70% of healthcare workers are women, our study explored the experiences of women on the frontlines. From January to May 2023, we interviewed 27 female healthcare workers in Canada, using grounded theory to delve deep into their stories. We discovered that a combination of organizational, professional, and personal factors influences their decisions to stay in or leave their jobs. Improving workplace policies, fostering a supportive culture, and strengthening management's ability to create positive work environments are crucial. By making frontline roles more satisfying and supportive, healthcare organizations can better retain their essential staff.
Featured Image
Photo by Artur Tumasjan on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Addressing the workforce crisis in healthcare is crucial because it directly impacts the quality of patient care. High burnout rates and frequent job changes among healthcare workers lead to longer wait times, decreased patient satisfaction, and an increase in medical errors. This not only puts patients at risk but also strains healthcare systems, making it harder to provide timely and effective care. Focusing on women, who constitute over 70% of the healthcare workforce, is particularly important. Understanding their unique experiences and challenges helps create tailored strategies that support their well-being and job satisfaction. By improving workplace policies and cultures, and enhancing management practices, healthcare organizations can create environments where women feel valued and supported. This is essential for retaining skilled professionals, reducing turnover, and ensuring that healthcare systems remain robust and capable of meeting the growing demands. Investing in the well-being and retention of frontline women healthcare workers ultimately leads to better patient outcomes and a more resilient healthcare system.
Perspectives
There is a common perception that women leave the workforce primarily due to personal circumstances or that burnout results from an individual's inability to handle job stress. However, our study reveals that the decision to leave is influenced by a complex interplay of various factors. By improving organizational culture and focusing on better job design, organizations can significantly enhance their ability to retain women in the workforce.
Abi Sriharan
University of Toronto
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Addressing the health human resources crisis: Strategies for retaining women health care professionals in organizations, PLoS ONE, June 2024, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293107.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
