{"id":11276,"date":"2024-04-24T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nursemk.wpengine.com\/how-effective-are-exit-interviews-when-nurses-resign\/"},"modified":"2025-08-12T12:03:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T16:03:53","slug":"how-effective-are-exit-interviews-when-nurses-resign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nurse.com\/solutions\/blog\/how-effective-are-exit-interviews-when-nurses-resign","title":{"rendered":"How Effective Are Exit Interviews?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When nurses decide to transition from one role to another, it not only causes disruptions to scheduling but also costs employers money.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Exit interviews are a practice some organizations use in their quest to reduce turnover and discern why nursing staff resigns.<\/p>\n

However, recruiters and other human resources (HR) professionals might wonder how effective exit interviews are in providing useful information. Do they help reduce turnover?<\/p>\n

The answer is no, according to John J. Sullivan, PhD, Professor of Management at San Francisco State University.<\/p>\n

\u201cExit interviews are not helpful when done in their usual manner,\u201d said Sullivan, a well-known HR thought-leader from Silicon Valley. \u201cWhat are the odds of someone being completely honest on their last day on the job as to why they\u2019re leaving, especially if they still need a reference.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

To be more effective, Sullivan recommended conducting the exit interview post exit and at a minimum, at least two weeks after someone has left. \u00a0\u201cThe key is waiting,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Stay interviews<\/h2>\n

Once someone makes the decision to leave his or her job, it\u2019s too late, Sullivan said. \u201cIt\u2019s better to talk to people before they leave, when something can be done to change their minds.\u201d<\/p>\n

A more ideal approach in retaining nursing staff is to conduct \u201cpre-exit interviews,\u201d also called stay interviews<\/a>, Sullivan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPreexit interviews are done quarterly in the Silicon Valley,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

And according to Sullivan, there are key questions to ask:<\/p>\n