Introduction. High turnover of nurses in rural healthcare settings contributes to challenges in healthcare delivery. Various incentive packages have been introduced in rural healthcare settings to curb this phenomenon, but the canker still exists. The study aimed at assessing the predictive role of job satisfaction, rural fit, and resilience on nurses’ retention in rural Ghana. Materials and Methods. A multicentre cross-sectional design was adopted to collect data from 462 nurses. Analysis through descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Pearson moment product correlation, and multiple regression was done. Results. There was low resilience and rural fit among nurses with higher turnover intention, which was predicted by average daily attendance (β = 0.108), rural fit (β = −0.144), resilience (β = −0.350), satisfaction with prospects (β = −0.187), and satisfaction with prospect and pay (β = −0.171) at the significance of 0.05. Conclusion. Policymakers can be assured that not just improving financial incentives to nurses, but the integration of nurses to rural settings, commensurate workload and improving pay and prospects for professional growth and resilience are needed for rural retention. Implications for nursing management, nurse managers, and policymakers have a role to develop sustainable strategies to integrate rural fit, resilience, and job satisfaction to help reduce turnover among nurses.

Background: Nursing and midwifery image has endured positive and negative stereotypes in transition from vocation to a recognised profession and a discipline. Nevertheless, concerns about professional image still persist and factors influencing contemporary image of nursing and midwifery are least understood.Aim: The aim is this study is to investigate nurses and midwives’ perception of their professional image and describe the factors influencing their perception.Methods: A mixed method approach was employed. Qualitative data was first collected followed by a quantitative evaluation. Participants were recruited from six (6) regions in Ghana. Nurses and midwife age 18 years with at least one year practiced experience were eligible. Recruitment was done through one-on-one contact and via social media platforms. In depth interviews were conducted with 60 nurses and midwives and questionnaires completed by 778 respondents online. Interviews were transcribed, coded and grouped into themes and subthemes using content analysis. Mean and standard deviation were described and multi-level modelling was used to examine the personal, geographical and organizational factors influencing the contemporary image of the nurse and midwife.Results: Nurses and midwives had positive (M = 21.31, SD = 3.09) and negative perception of nursing and midwifery. Demographic factors such as education F(3, 772) = 5.10, p =.002, professional category F(2, 773) = 4.08, p = .017 and rank F(6, 766) = 3.07, P = .002 influenced professional image. Other qualitative determinants of image of nursing and midwifery were education and training, professionalism, clinical leadership culture and influence of regulatory body and professional associations. Conclusion: Nursing and midwifery profession in contemporary times still carries the perspectives of the medieval age. Strategies for de-emphasizing negative factors affecting the profession needs to be explored and addressed.

Background: The World Health Organization has admonished member countries to strive towards achieving universal health coverage (UHC) through actionable health policies and strategies. Nurses and midwives have instrumental roles in achieving UHC via health policy development and implementation. However, there is a paucity of empirical data on nurses and midwives’ participation in policy development in Ghana. The current study explored nurses and midwives’ participation in policy development, reviews and reforms in Ghana.Methods: A qualitative descriptive exploratory design was adopted for this study. One-on-one individual interviews were conducted after 30 participants were purposefully selected. Data was audiotaped with permission, transcribed, and analyzed inductively using the content analysis procedures.Results: Two main themes emerged from the data: participation in policy development and perspectives on policy reviews and reforms. The findings showed that during health policy development and reviews, nurses in Ghana were overlooked and unacknowledged. Policy reforms regarding bridging the theory-practice gap, remunerations and political influence in nursing education were raisedConclusion: The authors concluded that nurses and midwives are crucial members of the healthcare systems and their inputs in policy development and reviews would improve health delivery in Ghana.