Appreciative Inquiry in Healthcare: Impact on the Emergence of Innovative Ideas and Personnel Retention

Factors such as the shortage of personnel, hospital closures and mergers, the ageing of the population combined with the evolution of medical technologies have all added pressure to the health care system. These pressures have had an impact on current work environments and health care workers’ satisfaction. In light of the evidence on the influence of job satisfaction and retention on the quality of care and patient safety, interventions are needed to address these issues. The objective were to examine the effect of AI on the development of innovative ideas regarding work organization, and changes in health care professionals’ and particularly nurses’ job satisfaction and intent to stay. This study makes a contribution to micro-systems examination of change processes and reveals how ideas evolve and are developed in a multidisciplinary context. AI represents a way to tap into the innovative potential of individuals within an organization. The findings suggest that upper and middle management support is required throughout change processes and that multilevel interventions need to be pursued to facilitate the implementation of innovative ideas and improve work environments.