Nurse leaders face a contradiction amongst their staff. According to an article from healthleadersmedia.com, a survey of nearly 3,000 RNs found that nurses are both happier than ever with their career choices while 30% are unhappy with their current jobs. Marcia Faller, PhD, RN, and chief nursing officer at AMN Healthcare which conducted the survey says, “it's a finding that should make nurse leaders stop and listen.” How can RNs be both satisfied with their careers and unhappy with their jobs? Faller believes that although nursing is viewed as a critical and important part of society nurses day-to-day work lives have not caught up to their appreciation and gratitude they receive as a whole. As Faller puts it, when RNs are happy with their career but unhappy with their surroundings, "People don't leave their jobs; they leave their manager and their leaders."

The survey also reveals that RNs are eager to continue their nurse education and that 40% wanted to pursue an advanced degree. When broken down by age, “Almost 70% of 19- to 39-year-old respondents planned to pursue more advanced degrees, with 37% of this age group saying that they planned to purse a master's degree in nursing.”

If most nurses want to advance their educations, gain new certifications, and continue to improve their skills as a nurse and better provide for their patients, it makes sense for nurse leaders to open these doors for their team. If RNs are eager to become more skilled and higher educated nurses, but are unhappy at their workplace, this provides nurse leaders with an opportunity to motivate their staff and help them achieve their goals. This could include offering onsite training, workshops, or courses, providing tuition reimbursement for education, or working with nurse schedules to make them more flexible if they want to try to fit education into their family and work lives.

By helping nurses achieve these goals, hospitals will make nurses feel more valued and happy to work at for an employer that cares about their education and future. If nurses had a workplace that supports their education and career goals, they are more likely to stay and find fulfillment and satisfaction.

Rue Education has been advancing nurse education for over 20 years. We know nurses value becoming the best nurse possible to be able to provide more for their patients. However we understand traditional college courses and nurse education doesn’t always fit into the busy schedules of nurses and their family and work obligations. For this reason we created a unique RN bridge program where LPN/LVNs, Paramedics, and RTs can bridge to RN, or RN to BSN, at their own pace. They can study when they want, test when they’re ready, and become a licensed RN or BSN with their degree at a pace that works with their life. Along with our nursing courses, you also receive real academic support so you’ll always have help when you need it along the way. If you’re like those nurses surveyed and are eager to advance your nursing education, but never thought you had the time or program to do it, now you have a choice that can fit into any schedule. Visit RueEducation.com to get started.