Date of Award

2026

Degree Name

Healthcare Administration

College

College of Business

Type of Degree

M.S.

Document Type

Research Paper

First Advisor

Alberto Coustasse, Dr.PH. MD, MBA, MPH

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between staffing and organizational support interventions and workforce outcomes among registered nurses providing direct patient care in hospital settings. The study focused on three measurable outcomes: emotional exhaustion, absenteeism, and annual nurse turnover. The population included hospital-based registered nurses, and the comparison involved standard staffing and support conditions.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Studies published between 2015 and 2026 were identified using PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases. Inclusion criteria required quantitative studies examining staffing or organizational support interventions among registered nurses in hospital settings. Six studies representing approximately 3,400 nurses met inclusion criteria. In addition, a supplemental questionnaire was administered to 10 registered nurses to collect descriptive data on staffing adequacy, organizational support, emotional exhaustion, absenteeism, and turnover intention. This study was approved as exempt research under the Marshall University Institutional Review Board (IRB) guidelines for course-based research. Participation was voluntary and anonymous.

Results: Emotional exhaustion scores ranged from 26 to 31 at baseline and from 20 to 24 following intervention implementation, reflecting reductions of 5 to 6 points over time frames of 6 to 12 months. Absenteeism rates ranged from 8% to 12% at baseline and from 6% to 9% post-intervention, with decreases of 2% to 3%. Annual nurse turnover ranged from 18% to 22% at baseline and from 13% to 16% following interventions, with reductions of 5% to 6%. Questionnaire responses described high patient-to-nurse workloads, moderate to high emotional exhaustion, occasional absenteeism, and turnover intention among a subset of participants.

Discussion: Findings were associated with consistent numerical patterns across emotional exhaustion, absenteeism, and turnover outcomes. Staffing conditions and organizational support were described in relation to reported workforce outcomes across both literature and questionnaire data sources.

Subject(s)

Health services administration.

Health facilities -- Business management.

Nurses.

Nurses -- Hospitals.

Burn out (Psychology) -- Nurses.

Medical personnel -- Job stress.

Labor turnover -- Nurses.

Stress (Psychology) -- Nurses.

Absenteeism (Labor) -- Nurses.

Nurse administrators.

Medical care.

Nurses -- Supply and demand.

Download

Share

COinS