Labour Shortages and Nurse Retention in Akwa Ibom State General Hospitals

This study investigated the impact of labour shortages on nurses’ retention in general hospitals in Akwa Ibom State. The objective of the study was to examine the impact of excessive workload and turnover rate on nurses’ retention in the general hospitals in the state. A survey research design was adopted, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 183 nurses, drawn from a population of 349 across ten (10) general hospitals in Akwa Ibom State. The sample size was determined using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) technique. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression techniques. The findings revealed that excessive workload has a negative and significant relationship with nurses’ retention; and turnover rate has a negative and significant impact on nurses’ retention in general hospitals in Akwa Ibom State. Thus, concluded that labour shortages have significantly adverse impact on the retention of nurses in general hospitals in Akwa Ibom State. Based on findings,it is recommended that the government of Akwa Ibom state employ more nurses into the public health system to reduce excessive workload and enhance retention. Furthermore, general hospitals in the state should implement target employee retention strategies such as offering competitive compensation, improving working conditions, and providing professional development opportunities to effectively reduce turnover rate and strengthened nurse retention.