Long-term care nurses are more likely than their colleagues in other settings to be looking to transfer into a different healthcare realm, a recent poll showed.
Fewer than half of all working nurses anticipate practicing in their current setting for the next five years, according to a survey from CareerBuilder and Harris Poll. Skilled nursing professionals and those working in home health are the most likely to be actively seeking a new setting. Ambulatory care nurses are most satisfied with where they are.
A desire for a better work/life balance was cited by 54% of nurses as the reason they want to change settings. Pay was the second most important factor, named by 43% of respondents.
As in other recent surveys, many nurses said that increased documentation duties and administrative tasks are taking time away from direct patient care. And 47% said they believe the Affordable Care Act will have an overall negative effect.
Despite these challenges, 93% of all respondents said they are satisfied with being a nurse and 85% said they anticipate never changing careers.
The poll was conducted in March. It compiled responses from about 900 full- or part-time nurses working in a hospital or an ambulatory care, hospice or long-term/skilled nursing care facility.
Full findings are scheduled to be released in June. CareerBuilder issued highlights on Tuesday, to coincide with National Nurses Week.
