Healthcare Employee Feedback: 15 Questions to Ask Nurses
The right questions to understand nurse burnout, safety concerns, and retention risks before it's too late.
🚨 Healthcare Turnover Crisis
- 18.7%: Average RN turnover rate (2024)
- $52,000: Average cost to replace one nurse
- 63%: Nurses considering leaving their job
- $9.7 billion: Annual cost of nurse turnover in US
Source: NSI Nursing Solutions 2024 Report
Why Healthcare Needs Different Feedback Questions
Generic employee surveys miss the unique stressors nurses face: patient ratios, emotional labor, safety risks, and 12-hour shifts.
❌ Generic Survey Questions
- "Do you feel engaged at work?"
- "Is management supportive?"
- "Are you satisfied with compensation?"
Too vague to detect burnout or safety issues
✅ Healthcare-Specific Questions
- "Are your patient ratios safe?"
- "Can you take breaks during shifts?"
- "Do you feel physically safe?"
Directly addresses retention drivers
The 15 Essential Questions
These questions are organized by the top retention drivers identified in healthcare workforce research:
Category 1: Safety & Staffing
Why it matters: Unsafe ratios are the #1 reason nurses leave
1. "Are your patient ratios safe today?"
Why ask: Daily snapshot of staffing adequacy. Chronic unsafe ratios predict turnover.
What to look for: Clusters of "no" responses in specific units/shifts.
Example Response (anonymous):
"ICU had 1 nurse for 4 critical patients last night. Terrifying."
2. "Do you feel physically safe at work?"
Why ask: Detects violence, harassment, or security concerns.
What to look for: Mentions of aggressive patients, inadequate security, or assault incidents.
3. "Do you have the equipment/supplies needed to provide safe care?"
Why ask: Supply shortages force workarounds that stress staff.
What to look for: Recurring mentions of specific supply gaps (e.g., IV pumps, PPE).
Category 2: Burnout & Wellbeing
Why it matters: 56% of nurses report symptoms of burnout (ANA 2024)
4. "Were you able to take your meal break today?"
Why ask: Simple proxy for workload. Missed breaks = burnout risk.
What to look for: Patterns by unit/shift. If a unit consistently misses breaks, staffing inadequate.
5. "How are you feeling emotionally after today's shift?"
Why ask: Open-ended check-in detects emotional exhaustion before it becomes clinical burnout.
Options: Energized / Satisfied / Tired / Drained / Burned out
6. "Do you have access to mental health support when needed?"
Why ask: Tests whether EAP and wellness programs are known and accessible.
Action item: If responses are "no" or "I don't know," better promotion needed.
Category 3: Leadership & Support
Why it matters: Bad managers are cited in 75% of voluntary nurse departures
7. "Does your charge nurse/manager support you?"
Why ask: Manager quality is THE retention predictor in healthcare.
What to look for: Consistently low scores for specific managers = coaching needed or role change.
8. "Do you feel heard when you raise concerns?"
Why ask: Nurses who feel ignored become disengaged fast.
Action item: If "no," leadership needs to close the feedback loop publicly.
9. "Does leadership understand what frontline staff experience?"
Why ask: Disconnect between administration and bedside = resentment.
Action item: Consider executive "shadow shifts" in low-scoring units.
Category 4: Career & Development
Why it matters: Lack of growth opportunities drives 42% of nurse exits
10. "Do you see a career path for yourself here?"
Why ask: If answer is "no," they're already mentally checked out.
Action item: Create visible pathways (bedside → charge → manager, or specialty certifications).
11. "Do you have opportunities for continuing education/certifications?"
Why ask: CE requirements are mandatory; if hospital doesn't support, nurses leave.
Category 5: Compensation & Recognition
Why it matters: 38% of nurses cite pay as a reason to leave
12. "Is your compensation competitive with other hospitals in the area?"
Why ask: Blunt but necessary. If perception is "no," recruitment at risk.
Action item: Benchmark pay annually; if below market, retention bonuses or raises needed.
13. "Do you feel appreciated for your work?"
Why ask: Recognition costs nothing but dramatically impacts retention.
Action item: Implement peer recognition programs, manager "thank you" rounds.
Category 6: Retention Risk Assessment
Why it matters: Early warning system for potential departures
14. "How likely are you to still be working here in 12 months?"
Why ask: Direct retention predictor. Responses below "likely" = intervention needed.
Scale: Very likely / Likely / Unsure / Unlikely / Already looking elsewhere
15. "What's one thing we could change that would make you want to stay longer?"
Why ask: Open-ended gold mine. Shows what actually matters to staff.
Example Responses:
"Better nurse-to-patient ratios on night shift"
"More respect from physicians"
"Flexibility with scheduling for school"
How to Use These Questions
Recommended Cadence
Daily Pulse
End of each shift:
- • Q1: Safe ratios?
- • Q4: Got meal break?
- • Q5: Emotional state?
Takes 30 seconds. High response rate.
Weekly Check-In
Rotate through:
- • Q2: Physical safety
- • Q7: Manager support
- • Q8: Feel heard?
- • Q13: Feel appreciated?
1 question/week. Less survey fatigue.
Monthly Deep Dive
Full survey:
- • All 15 questions
- • Additional open-ended
- • Takes 5-7 minutes
Comprehensive unit health check.
Critical: Make It Anonymous
⚠️ Why Anonymity is Non-Negotiable in Healthcare:
- Power dynamics: Nurses fear retaliation from physicians, charge nurses, or administration
- Patient safety reporting: Must feel safe reporting near-misses and errors
- Honest burnout disclosure: Won't admit struggles if tracked to performance reviews
- Cultural issues: Harassment, discrimination, and toxic behavior go unreported without anonymity
Use tools like PulseFeed for Healthcare that guarantee true anonymity (no IP tracking, no email collection).
How to Act on Responses
Immediate Actions (Within 24 Hours)
If you see these red flags:
- "Unsafe ratios" → Call staffing meeting that day
- "I don't feel safe" → Security/HR investigation immediately
- "Already looking elsewhere" → Manager 1-on-1 within 48 hours
- "I can't take this anymore" → EAP referral + wellness check
Weekly Actions
- Review sentiment trends by unit/shift
- Identify recurring themes (e.g., "short-staffed" mentioned 12 times)
- Share anonymized feedback with leadership
- Create action plan for top 3 issues
- Communicate back: "We heard X, we're doing Y"
Monthly Actions
Share Unit Scorecard:
Example: ICU December 2025
- • Safe ratios: 68% (↓ from 74% last month) - ACTION NEEDED
- • Feel supported: 82% (↑ from 78%)
- • Got meal breaks: 45% (↓ from 52%) - ACTION NEEDED
- • Retention risk: 22% unlikely to stay - MONITOR
Actions taken: Hired 2 additional RNs, implementing relief break policy
Real Results: Case Study
Regional Hospital System (850 beds)
Before Continuous Feedback:
- • 22% RN turnover rate
- • Annual survey only
- • Problems detected 6+ months late
- • Exit interviews showed "no one listened"
After Using These 15 Questions:
- • 14% RN turnover (12 months later)
- • Daily + monthly feedback
- • Early intervention on 47 at-risk nurses
- • Nurse satisfaction up 18 points
ROI:
8% reduction in turnover × 400 RNs = 32 nurses retained
32 × $52,000 replacement cost = $1.66 million saved
Investment in feedback platform: $12,000/year
138x ROI
Download Free Template
Get All 15 Questions + Implementation Guide
Download our free PDF with all questions, response scales, and recommended action protocols.
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