Factors Impacting the Recruitment and Retention of Nurses in Nigeria: Systematic Review

Abstract

Institutional policies and patient characteristics continually change the roles of Nigerian nurses, thereby making recruitment and retention of Nigerian nurses difficult. With little data on recruitment, a systematic review showed that the characteristics of Nigerian nurses' retention are situational and interrelated, making them difficult to generalise. The study aims to discover Nigerian nurses' recruitment and retention factors. Data PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus (via Ovid Platform), and Web of Science were all searched for nursing literature. The search ended after 14 years (January 2010 – May 2024). Selected publications examined factors affecting Nigerian nurses' recruitment and retention. The systematic literature review employed the revised PRISMA flowchart to present reviewed papers. Studies were evaluated using the Centre for Evidence-Based Management (CEBMa) critical appraisal techniques; eight papers qualified. Individual and institutional factors affecting Nigerian nurses' retention were clustered around working situations and work-life balance. Many factors affect Nigerian nurses' retention, but recruitment factors are unknown, making the determination challenging. Problems with retention affect recruitment. According to major studies, retention rates differ by person and state in Nigeria, therefore further research is needed on recruitment criteria.