Congress Abstracts 2004

29

HEALING RETREATS AS A METHOD OF INCREASING NURSING STAFF SATISFACTION AND RETENTION. Marguerite Cyr, MSN, RN, and Linda Miller, MSN, RN, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC; Michelle Manning, MPH, BS, Washington Cancer Institute, Washington, DC; and Ann Marie Pessagno, MSA, RN, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC.

Oncology nursing leadership at Washington Hospital Center (WHC) recognizes the need to support and retain its staff in these times of nursing shortages within an inherently stressful clinical field. Leaders within the education field, also fraught with high burnout rates and shortages, have created similar opportunities to support, encourage, educate, and retain its staff. This opportunity was created by leaders with the staff’s input to show appreciation, create a relaxed environment, build team work and camaraderie, teach through doing relaxation techniques, and create an environment where the staff feels appreciated and not only stay in their jobs, but recruit others.

There is a chronic nursing shortage resulting in fewer nurses working longer hours with more patient responsibility. Nursing management must realize the affect of these changes on staff and provide outlets for stress reduction, relaxation, and team building. In response to the stress of working with cancer patients under these difficult circumstances, the Washington Cancer Institute nurse management created a healing retreat for nurses. The purpose of this retreat was to provide a full day of relaxation, healing, and companionship in a natural environment away from the Washington Cancer Institute. In addition, this retreat served to provide a means of supporting and retaining current nursing staff and an opportunity to educate them on the uses of complementary and alternative therapy models.

The purpose was accomplished by nurse management providing a healing retreat including a day full of yoga, massage, Reiki, movement, Guided Imagery, paddle boating, singing, visual arts, and poetry. Participants were given an option of activities so they could choose either an exercise or a seated activity at each session. This retreat was held at a campsite providing space for both free time and nature walks in addition to structured activities.

Thirty-eight participants attended the retreat day located one hour from the medical institution. A survey of nursing staff took place three months prior to the retreat to identify retreat activities that most interested them. Participants completed a final evaluation at the end of the retreat where they ranked the various activities of the day as well as the location, food, and what they liked most and least about the retreat. All but one of the activities was ranked either “good” or “excellent.” All 38 participants requested the retreat again and were grateful to have the administration provide the retreat opportunity. The executive director of the Washington Cancer Institute is committed to providing this retreat as a semi-annual event.

The implications for nursing practice are both clinical and practical. Providing a healing retreat for nursing staff serves to improve employee satisfaction and retention, increase pride in the workplace and job responsibilities, and foster relationships between both inpatient and outpatient units. Medical centers across the United States, regardless of their size, can use this retreat model to provide healing days for nursing staff.