Retaining Nurses in Nursing Homes – Nursing Leaders Facilitating Work Tasks to Nurses

The shortage of nurses is not merely a global challenge but also a national issue in Norway, particularly in nursing homes. This chapter focuses on nursing leadership and strategies to retain nurses in their positions in nursing homes, especially by facilitating work tasks that correspond to nurses’ qualifications. Two strategies, taking into account nurses’ qualifications and safeguarding nurses and their qualifications, are explored using empirical examples and thematized with the help of notions drawn from transformational leadership and self-actualization. It is argued that the nursing leaders in formal hierarchical positions in organizations who work closest to nurses seem to play a vital role in retaining nurses in their positions. They facilitate work tasks for the nurses by assisting them in utilizing their qualifications and performing their tasks. By being empowered to fulfil their individual needs, the nursing leaders strengthen the nurses’ capacity to achieve everything they can and do everything possible to become the best they can be, such as developing new qualifications and enhancing already attained qualifications. Nonetheless, retaining nurses in their positions in nursing homes is not an easy task.