Research: Recruitment and retention in social care nursing (Scottish Care)

Recruitment and retention difficulties have reached a critical point within the nursing home and the social care nursing sector. Why do nurses come into the sector and what makes them stay?

Throughout August and September, Scottish Care would like to speak to front line nurses about both their experiences and perceptions of the nursing home/social care nursing sector. They want to explore in more detail the qualities and skills front line nurses need and what we can do to improve the profile of this difficult, demanding and rewarding job. They also want to find out what motivates them in their day-to-day activities.

The intention is to create a resource of stories that can be used to help organisations shape their approach in areas such as recruitment and retention or workforce engagement. Scottish Care will use the findings of this work to explore how we can attract more nurses to work in nursing homes and social care nursing – and how we can encourage them to stay.

Scottish Care would like to carry out interviews for roughly half an hour (by phone or in person) with people working in front line nursing posts in a variety of care home, care at home or housing support settings. They are keen to establish a national picture and take into account small and large providers including all volunteers but this depends on how many come forward. If you are not selected the research will, of course, still be available to you.

The study will take place between now and the end of September, with findings presented at the Scottish Care Annual Care Home and Conference Awards event on Friday 18th November 2016 at the Hilton Hotel, Glasgow.

If you are:

• A qualified nurse interested in taking part in the study and can provide an appropriate management contact in your organisation
• An employer/manager wishing to get your organisation involved and think you have nurses willing to be interviewed.

Contact Katharine Ross noting your interest before Friday 19th August 2016 at: [email protected]