Group cohesion and nurse satisfaction: examination of a team-building approach.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a team-building intervention on group cohesion, nurse satisfaction, and turnover rates.

Background: Creating an environment that supports and retains nurses represents a formidable challenge for nursing leaders. Research related to strategies that positively impact the culture in which nurses practice, thus potentially improving nurse satisfaction and reducing turnover, is critically needed.

Methods: Registered nurses (RNs) employed on inpatient units in a 247-bed, private acute care Magnet teaching hospital participated in this quasi experimental preintervention and postintervention design. The RN-RN interaction subscale from the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators Adapted Index of Work Satisfaction, the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators Adapted Index of Job Enjoyment, the Group Cohesion Scale, and a facilitator-developed measure were completed preimplementation and postimplementation of unit-tailored intervention strategies, which took place over a 12-month period. Turnover rates were collected 6 month preintervention and postintervention.

Results: Improvement in group cohesion, RN-RN interaction, job enjoyment, and turnover was demonstrated.

Conclusion: Targeted, unit-based strategies can be an effective means of reducing turnover rates and improving group cohesion and nurse satisfaction.