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Abstract Introduction Healthcare organisations are confronted with challenges in retaining physicians and nurses, leading to increased costs and decreased quality of care. This study endeavours to identify interventions aimed at enhancing job satisfaction among healthcare workers, and subsequently translate these findings into policy recommendations. Methods The study was conducted in Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Italy, and adopted a co-creation methodology.Eight co-creation workshops were organised for physicians and nurses (n= 53), followed by four Delphi-inspired sessions (n=17) and eight additional interviews with policy makers (n=8). All workshops were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed using NVIVO. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee Research UZ/ KU Leuven (S66009). Results The outcomes derived from the co-creation process were categorized into four main themes: (1) Providing personal and professional support, such as evaluation sessions; (2) Prioritising lifelong learning through different development opportunities; (3) Providing the necessary legislative frameworks to address challenges at the workplace; (4) Improving financial and infrastructural factors, such as transport and accommodation. Discussion The findings underscore the complex and multi-level nature of job retention in healthcare and highlight the need for multifaceted approaches. Comprehensive strategies should take place at both hospital and national level, and should address facilitating career development, promoting work-life balance and reducing administrative burdens. Conclusion No one-size-fits-all solution exists to improve job retention in healthcare. By understanding and addressing the multiple factors involved, hospitals and countries can create a supportive environment that encourages healthcare workers to remain in the profession.
Lavreysen et al. (Mon,) studied this question.