Improving employment retention at a North West province nursing college: Perceptions of nurse educators

Background: High nurse educator turnover rates necessitate the need for nursing colleges to explore the retention of nurse educators. The views of nurse educators were sought to generate contextually informed insight into improving retention. Aim: To explore and describe the perceptions of nurse educators working at a public nursing college in North West, South Africa, on improving retention of nurse educators. Setting: The research was conducted at two campuses of a public nursing college in the North West province. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore and describe the perceptions of nurse educators in providing answers to the research question. Typical purposive sampling was used by applying selection criteria. Focus group interviews were conducted, and conventional content analysis was applied. Data saturation was reached after conducting four focus group interviews, with a total of 29 participants, divided as follows: Campus A: two groups of eight participants each, Campus B: one group with six participants and one group with seven participants. Results: Five categories with sub-categories emerged, namely: (1) improving the working environment contributes towards retention, (2) improving human resource management, (3) better remuneration and benefits, (4) positive aspects of staying in nursing education and (5) eliminating politics and mismanagement. Conclusion: This study on the views of the nurse educators acknowledges their voices, ensuring that the matter of retention can be informed by those directly situated within the phenomenon. Contribution: The study provides insight into the views of nurse educators regarding employment retention, namely that the work environment – including the physical environment, human resource management, remuneration and benefits and political influence and mismanagement – as well as nurse educators’ passion for what they do, influences their decision to leave or to stay in employment. These insights are valuable for tailoring retention strategies and provide a solid grounding for further research on the employment retention of nurse educators.