The ANA projects that 500,000 RNs will retire by 2022, while the need for nurses in the US will rise by 1.1 million. Since the average cost of training a new grad is $50,000 and replacing a retired nurse costs between 75% and 125% of the retiree’s annual salary, nurse retention will be critical. Studies show that group cohesion is improved by good collective experiences. Therapeutic massage can accomplish two things that will dramatically improve your work environment.
First, it can relieve the common pains suffered by nurses: neck, shoulders, back, knees, and feet. This can extend your career in the long run and make it more enjoyable today.
Second, if the entire unit receives massage therapy, common bonds of pain relief and increased mobility will create a tighter team ethos that may well result in better patient outcomes. It may sound trite but it is quite possible that “Nurses who are healed together, heal others together.”