Supportive workplaces key to retaining experienced NHS nurses, study finds

The study found that workplace culture and day-to-day working conditions were among the strongest factors influencing whether nurses in the later stages of their careers chose to stay in the NHS. 

The findings suggest that improving the work environment should be a central part of efforts to keep experienced staff alongside wider workforce (and financial) measures. 

Retaining experienced nurses is becoming increasingly important as around half of NHS nurses are aged 45 or over, while those with more than 20 years' experience are among the most likely to leave or retire early.  

The research highlights that keeping these highly skilled professionals in the workforce is essential to maintaining safe patient care, preserving valuable expertise and supporting the next generation of nurses. 

The study, involving almost 2,000 NHS nurses aged between 45 and 54, is one of the largest of its kind to explore what later-career nurses value most in their jobs.  

Using a large-scale survey, researchers presented participants with different hypothetical job packages to understand which workplace characteristics mattered most when making career decisions. 

Supportive relationships between colleagues, compassionate leadership, flexible working arrangements and manageable workloads consistently emerged as the most influential factors. The findings highlight the importance of creating workplaces where experienced nurses feel supported, valued and able to provide the best possible care. 

The results offer guidance for NHS employers looking to retain experienced staff. They recommend strengthening team collaboration, investing in compassionate leadership training, expanding flexible working opportunities that reflect the needs of an ageing workforce and reducing workload pressures through safe staffing levels and fewer administrative demands. 

Project lead Dr Joanne Turnbull from the University of Southampton said: "Experienced nurses are the backbone of safe patient care in the NHS and beyond and are essential for mentoring the next generation coming through." 

Lead author Dr Zoé Ejebu, also from the University of Southampton, added: "Our findings show that if we want to prevent those with most experience leaving the workforce early, we must invest in improving team culture, developing compassionate leadership and managing workloads to respect the immense value they bring to our healthcare services." 

Professor Shabbar Jaffry, School of Accounting, Economics and Finance at the University of Portsmouth said: "Retaining experienced nurses is one of the biggest challenges facing global healthcare systems. NHS England is no exception. Our findings show that creating workplaces where nurses feel supported, respected and able to deliver the best possible care is a vital part of the solution. 

"This research provides evidence that investment in workplace culture, leadership, flexible working and manageable workloads should sit alongside recruitment, fair pay and broader workforce strategy. Keeping experienced nurses in the NHS benefits not only staff, but also patients and the health service as a whole." 

Experienced nurses play a vital role within healthcare teams, bringing decades of clinical expertise while mentoring younger colleagues and supporting the delivery of safe, high-quality care. However, workforce shortages have increased pressure on remaining staff, creating a cycle of heavier workloads, burnout and further departures 

The research underscores the importance of focusing on the everyday experience of work, alongside wider workforce policies, to help more experienced nurses remain in the profession, prevent early retirement and ensure the long-term sustainability of the NHS workforce.