Exploring the Reasons for the Turnover of Nurses in the Private Hospitals of Dubai

Purpose: Despite the massive turnover of nursing professionals in Dubai, there is lack of studies describing the factors responsible for the turnover of nurses in Dubai. This study explored the reasons that resulted in the turnover of nurses from private hospitals in Dubai. Methods: The study adopted an explorative approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among 23 nursing professionals working at one of the renowned private hospitals in Dubai. The sample included nurses from different nationalities, ethnicities, and genders to ensure the reliability and generalisability of the study. Data was analysed by adopting the thematic analysis technique using the NVivo software. Findings: The research allowed us to arrive at certain significant findings. Initially, the findings suggest that the results align with most of the previous studies that were conducted around the topic area. Secondly, the findings suggested that two primary reasons resulted in the turnover of nurses in the private hospitals of Dubai, and these include compensation and benefits, and work-life balance. Thirdly, it was observed that most of the nurses migrated to foreign countries for better benefits and opportunities to deal with the low compensation and high cost of living in Dubai. Therefore, these were findings observed from the study. Conclusion: The study observed compensation and benefits along with work-life balance have been the predictors of nurse’s turnover in the private hospitals in Dubai. Efforts to enhance the compensation and reduce job stress should be implemented by the authorities to ensure further loss of nursing professionals in Dubai. Implications for Policy and Practice: Shortage of nurses would have serious implications if left unattended. Hence, the study outcomes would allow the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) to develop policies which promotes retention of nurses. In addition, it also allows DHA to focus on creating policies which reduce the migration of nurses to foreign countries.