How can hospitals grow to be attractive employers for nurses?

Seven Dutch hospitals participate in a large benchmarking study by Research centre RHO (Research on Healthcare Organisation & Innovation) of the Faculty of Economics and Business. The main theme of this study is the way that hospitals can grow to be attractive employers for nurses. All seven hospitals collaborate in ‘De Ziekenhuisketen’.

Hospitals are challenged to recruit and retain nurses in a time when the demand for nurses increases while the amount of applicants decreases. Hospital executives are therefore interested in those aspects that make nurses stay in their hospitals and make them proud to fulfil their jobs.

In a two-year study, aspects like nursing leadership, nurse autonomy, quality of interdisciplinary relationships, patient satisfaction with nursing care, and nursing productivity (direct nursing care) will be measured.

Data from the benchmarking study provide a foundation for developing improvement plans in cooperation with the hospitals. The benchmarking study is further expected to result in a research report for the hospitals and in international journal publications.  

More information

For more information, please contact Kees Ahaus, Professor in Healthcare Management at the Faculty of Economics and Business.
Contact person from ‘De Ziekenhuisketen’ is Harry Luik, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kennemer Gasthuis in Haarlem. Via: Communications department, T. 023 - 545 5770 or E communicatie kg.nl.