Successful retention strategies for nurses in home visiting nursing services: a scoping review

Aim: To identify successful strategies and underpinning mechanisms for retaining nurses in home visiting nursing services. Design: Scoping review. Data Sources: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Theses Global Databases (1 January 2000 to 23 November 2023); international nursing organisations websites (January–April 2024). Review Methods: The methods followed the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance. Two researchers independently screened and reviewed, with disagreements resolved through discussion. Included papers were analysed for underlying mechanisms. Results: Of 1219 records identified, seven met the criteria. Four papers reported senior administrators' experience of successful multiple types of strategies (unspecified), but none reported retention outcomes. Three papers reported evaluations of initiatives providing clinical and peer support to nurses new to home visiting nursing. All three papers reported improved retention rates at 12 months in comparison to the year previous, although there was no consideration of other potentially influencing factors. We identified eight underlying mechanisms in the seven papers: (1) finance incentives; (2) work schedule flexibility for individuals; (3) team level management; (4) positive feedback on job performance; (5) team level interpersonal relationships; (6) the work organisation and resources; (7) support to individual's development in knowledge, clinical skill and confidence and (8) participation in organisation's decision making. Conclusion: This review identified noticeable few papers over a time when all countries have been trying to address the growing health needs of the older populations. The gap in evidence as to the most effective combinations of retention strategies for home visiting nursing requires urgent attention. Clinical leaders and managers require evidence to inform their strategies for retaining home visiting nurses in order to provide high quality care as more health care systems increase the provision of acute, chronic, and palliative care in patients' own homes. Reporting Method: This paper conforms to PRISMA reporting guidelines for scoping reviews. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution.