Mentorship as a Strategy to Reduce Nurse Turnover: A Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71399/cn0wcp52Keywords:
Turnover, Nursing, Retention, Professional integrationAbstract
The nursing workforce shortage and high turnover rates are critical challenges in healthcare systems. This systematic review aimed to analyze the impact of mentorship on nurse retention. Scientific evidence was retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCOhost databases between 2020 and 2025, using the descriptors “mentorship”, “turnover”, and “nurse*” with the Boolean operator AND. Boolean phrase: (mentorship) AND (turnover) AND (nurse*). The PRISMA protocol guided the selection process, supported by Rayyan software. Seven studies were included, all focusing on the role of mentorship in retaining nurses, especially during early career stages. Quality assessment was conducted using JBI, AMSTAR 2, and MMAT tools. Findings indicate that structured mentorship programs enhance professional adaptation, confidence, engagement, and job satisfaction—factors closely linked to decreased turnover intent. It is concluded that mentorship is an effective managerial strategy for professional development, staff retention, and sustainable nursing environments.
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