Exit Spirals in Hospital Clinics: Conceptualizing Turnover Contagion Among Nursing Staff

Authors

  • Rebecca Selberg Department of Gender Studies & Skånes Universitetssjukhus Lund University, Sweden
  • Paula Mulinari Department of Social Work, Malmö University, Sweden

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v26i1.7045

Keywords:

nursing, care work, nurse management, exit spirals, EVLN, public administration, public sector

Abstract

This article introduces the concept of the exit spiral to conceptualize processes in which poorly functioning hospital clinics or wards enter a phase of decline due to widespread dissatisfaction among staff, prompting turnover contagion. In describing and analyzing cases amassed during observations and interviews, the article provides tools to identify, analyze and halt exit spirals. Once a hospital ward finds itself in an exit spiral, employees experience increased workloads, loss of control and discontent. Managers may react with increased rigidity. Instability, discontinuity, and insufficient knowledge transfer are processes sparked by exit spirals. The article suggests that exit spirals can be halted if management recognizes the depth of organizational decline and directs resources to resolve it. This requires further analysis, stimulation of employee voice, innovation, and flexibility.

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Author Biographies

Rebecca Selberg, Department of Gender Studies & Skånes Universitetssjukhus Lund University, Sweden

Rebecca Selberg earned her PhD in Sociology in 2012. She is Senior Lecturer in Gender Studies at Lund University. Her research is focused on intersectional perspectives on working conditions in the public sector.

Paula Mulinari, Department of Social Work, Malmö University, Sweden

Paula Mulinari is Associate Professor in Social work. Her research is focused on labor, resistance and inequality.

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Published

2022-03-15

How to Cite

Selberg, R., & Mulinari, P. (2022). Exit Spirals in Hospital Clinics: Conceptualizing Turnover Contagion Among Nursing Staff. Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration, 26(1), 87–107. https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v26i1.7045

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Section

Original Articles

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