Hospitals across Europe are under pressure to recruit and retain a well-qualified nursing workforce amid ongoing shortages. The study aimed to assess the perspective of bachelor-qualified (BSN) nurses compared with vocationally educated nurses on the relative importance of various recruitment and retention (R&R) measures to determine tailored, suitable R&R measures according to BSN-specific needs.

A convergent mixed-methods study combining a survey and semi-structured interviews through triangulation, conducted as part of the BSN4Hospital study.

BSN and 3-year vocationally educated nurses were surveyed in 22 German hospitals with R&R strategies and above-average numbers of BSN. In addition, interviews took place with BSN, chief nursing officers (CNO) and nurse scientists and those working in strategic units (NSC/other).

The survey included items related to R&R (work environment, onboarding, salary, shift work, work-life-balance, leadership, roles, tasks), perceived importance and the top three R&R measures. Interviews focused on targeted R&R measures, implementation and challenges.

A total of 1856 nurses participated in the survey (282 BSN and 1574 vocationally educated nurses). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 individuals (6 BSN, 8 CNO and 5 NSC/other). On recruitment measures, a significantly higher proportion of BSN (82.6% vs 52.7% of vocationally educated nurses, p

Several R&R measures specific for BSN were identified suggesting that a tailored approach is needed. An integrated management approach that recognises BSN qualifications can support workforce stability and high-quality patient care.

The initiation of buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the emergency department (ED) has been associated with improved outcomes including reduced ED visits and increased treatment engagement. Though both standard-dose (8 mg buprenorphine equivalent) and high-dose (24 mg buprenorphine equivalent) strategies to initiate buprenorphine have been used in the ED, no prospective trials comparing outcomes among patients receiving these treatments have been reported.

This multisite randomised clinical trial is a multisite double-blind, double-dummy, randomised clinical trial enrolling 360 emergency department patients with moderate-to-severe OUD. Enrolled patients will be randomised to one of two study arms: standard-dose induction or high-dose induction, both provided in the ED. This study will engage, train and provide resources to five EDs throughout the US to recruit patients with untreated OUD into a randomised clinical trial. The primary aim is to evaluate the effects of the standard-dose induction and high-dose induction on rates of OUD treatment participation within 10 days post-randomisation. The secondary aims are to evaluate differences between standard-dose induction and high-dose induction on the outcomes of opioid craving, opioid withdrawal symptoms and illicit drug use assessed during 10 days post randomisation and evaluate the effects between treatment arms on rates of OUD treatment participation within 30 days post randomisation.

This study is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and has been approved by the WCG Instutitional Review Board. It has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov. This study will inform the strategy for treatment initiation with buprenorphine among diverse ED settings and will provide ongoing evidence to support the safety and efficacy of initiating treatment for OUD in the ED.

NCT06494904.