Transition Instead of Exit – a digital matching platform for career transitions within nursing

The “Transition instead of exit” project encourages nurses to stay in the care sector. Nurses who want to resign or have already resigned are connected with suitable employers via a digital platform. The project was initiated and is supported by the Swiss Professional Association of Nurses, Bern Section (SBK Bern).

Initial situation

The global shortage of nursing staff poses major challenges for the healthcare sector. In order to meet the increasing demand for nurses and ensure the quality of care in the long term, it is crucial to retain nurses in the profession. Many nurses who resign not only leave their current job, but the profession as a whole. As a result, the healthcare system is losing urgently needed  qualified personnel and the staff shortage is getting worse. To date, there has been a lack of cross-organisational approaches to provide targeted support to nurses who intend to leave the profession and to connect them with new employers. The result is premature career exits that jeopardise the long-term retention of nursing staff in the healthcare system.

This is where the  «Transition instead of exit» project comes in. It aims to help nurses stay in the profession and open up new perspectives within the field. The focus is on developing a digital matching platform that brings nurses together with suitable employers and  areas of practice. A standardised assessment is used to record the individual requirements, values and preferences of nurses in order to find suitable new jobs. The aim is to reduce the number of nurses leaving the profession and strengthen their loyalty to the nursing profession. The project is initiated and financed by the Swiss Professional Association of Nurses, Bern Section (SBK Bern). The Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) is conducting the research project on behalf of the SBK Bern as a  collaboration  of the School of Health Professions and School of Engineering and Computer Sciene [1].

Procedure – From the analysis to the digital matching platform

The “Transition instead of exit” project follows a data- and practice-based approach that combines scientific findings with technical innovation. The aim is to develop a digital platform that connects nurses who intend to resign or have already resigned with suitable employers in a targeted manner, thus opening up new career prospects. The project is being implemented in four phases.

1. Analysing existing data and research findings

To begin with, national and international research data is analysed, including data from the STRAIN and STRAIN 2.0 datasets with over 25,000 data sets from healthcare professionals [2][3]. These provide valuable information on stress factors and characteristics of nurses with a high intention to leave. In addition, findings from studies such as SCOHPICA [4] and from international research [5][6]. The analyses show that the compatibility of work and private life, for example through the organisation of duty rosters and workload, is closely linked to the intention to leave [7][8]. Equally important are team culture, support in everyday working life, appreciative leadership and opportunities for professional development and further training [7].

2. Qualitative survey and requirements analysis

In the second project phase, the focus is on the participatory approach. Healthcare organisations and nurses jointly design the requirements for the platform. The aim is to find a solution that meets the needs of nurses as well as the requirements of employers.

In moderated focus groups with carers who have given notice or are considering a change of career, expectations, challenges and wishes are being surveyed. The focus is on questions such as what motivates carers to stay in the profession in the long term, which factors are decisive for a change and which framework conditions promote staying in the profession. This feedback forms the basis for technical development. At the same time, the platform gives carers access to suitable jobs and trial offers and supports their further development in practical tests. A first test version is planned from summer 2026. Carers from all over German-speaking Switzerland and from various fields of activity such as acute hospitals, psychiatry, long-term care and Spitex are invited to participate.

Healthcare organisations from the canton of Bern can also take part. They have the opportunity to publish vacancies free of charge and to draw the attention of employees who intend to resign. Key people from human resources and management contribute their experiences in online interviews and discuss success factors, hurdles and the benefits of the platform for staff recruitment and retention. The result is a platform from practice for practice. Further information can be found on the BFH project page “Transition instead of exit”

3. Development of the matching platform

Based on the results of the analysis, a digital matching platform is being developed to connect carers and healthcare organisations. Standardised assessments will be used to record the preferences and skills of carers as well as the requirements of organisations and generate individual job offers and organisational profiles. The development of the assessment poses initial methodological challenges. Many factors influence the intention to leave, but not all of them can be translated into measurable criteria. Soft factors in particular, such as organisational culture or shared values, are key but difficult to measure objectively. This illustrates how challenging it is to develop an instrument that takes cultural and interpersonal fit into account alongside professional competences. Matching is carried out using explainable technology and thus enables a high degree of traceability and transparency.

4. Pilot phase and evaluation

In the final phase of the project, a pilot version of the platform will be developed, iteratively tested and scientifically evaluated over the course of a year. Data will be collected before the platform is used, before the employee starts work and six months after it has been used. The focus is on reducing the intention to leave, increasing job satisfaction and long-term job retention. If the programme is successful, it is planned to extend it to other cantons and national languages.

Conclusion

The “Transition instead of exit” project combines research, digital innovation and practical knowledge to sustainably strengthen the nursing profession. The platform promotes professional satisfaction, creates new development prospects and supports carers in staying in the profession. It thus makes an important contribution to the future viability of nursing care and to stabilising the healthcare system.

References

[1] Umstieg statt Ausstieg – Förderung des Berufsverbleibs bei Pflegenden. (o. J.). Abgerufen 10. Oktober 2025, von https://www.bfh.ch/de/forschung/referenzprojekte/umstieg-statt-ausstieg-pflege/

[2] STRAIN – Work-related stress among health professionals in Switzerland. (o. J.). Abgerufen 10. Oktober 2025, von https://www.bfh.ch/de/forschung/referenzprojekte/strain/

[3] STRAIN 2.0 – Work-related stress among health professionals in Switzerland. (o. J.). Abgerufen 10. Oktober 2025, von https://www.bfh.ch/de/forschung/referenzprojekte/strain-20/

[4] Jolidon, V., Jubin, J., Zuercher, E., Roth, L., Carron, T., Oulevey Bachmann, A., Gilles, I., & Peytremann-Bridevaux, I. (2024). Health Workforce Challenges: Key Findings From the Swiss Cohort of Healthcare Professionals and Informal Caregivers (SCOHPICA). International Journal of Public Health, 69, 1607419. https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2024.1607419

[5] Chen, Y., Zhou, X., Bai, X., Liu, B., Chen, F., Chang, L., & Liu, H. (2024). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of social support on turnover intention in clinical nurses. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1393024

[6] Vries, N. de, Maniscalco, L., Matranga, D., Bouman, J., & Winter, J. P. de. (2024). Determinants of intention to leave among nurses and physicians in a hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE, 19(3), e0300377. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0300377

[7] Peter, K. A., Voirol, C., Kunz, S., Gurtner, A., Renggli, F., Juvet, T., & Golz, C. (2024). Factors associated with health professionals’ stress reactions, job satisfaction, intention to leave and health-related outcomes in acute care, rehabilitation and psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes and home care organisations. BMC Health Services Research, 24(1), 269. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10718-5

[8] Gerlach, M., Renggli, F. J., Bieri, J. S., Sariyar, M., & Golz, C. (2025). Exploring nurse perspectives on AI-based shift scheduling for fairness, transparency, and work-life balance. BMC Nursing, 24(1), 1161. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03808-0