The significance of nursing retention in today's healthcare system is more prominent than ever before. The purpose of this study was to answer the question: What do Registered Nurses understand about their intention to stay at Ontario rural hospitals? A qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach was used to conduct this study. Ten Registered Nurses from rural hospitals were interviewed regarding their experiences working in rural hospitals. Seven themes were developed including: Sense of Community, Pride and Identity, Weight of Responsibility, Feeling Alone, Questioning Commitment, Rural Reality, and Feeling Misunderstood. Participants shared that their nursing co-workers were the reason they continued to stay working in their rural hospitals, with the essence of the themes being we are there for each other. The findings of this study can be used to influence nursing practice, nursing education, healthcare leaders, and areas of future research.
Author Keywords: Nurses, Retention, Rural