The global nursing shortage requires understanding of why nurses select and remain in a workplace and we must also strive to keep our trained nurses in the profession and not lose them to related employment.

This descriptive, correlational study examined the relationships between demographic factors and measures of job satisfaction such as autonomy and challenge, as well as work environment factors such as relationships with colleagues, supervisors and physicians. Additional questions focused on other job satisfiers such as compensation, career satisfaction, educational opportunities, scheduling and workload.

All nurses working in Hospitals or Long-term Care facilities living along the Ontario/Michigan border in South-western Ontario were recruited through the College of Nurses of Ontario. Approximately 3000 nurses were recruited through a mail survey. Nurses were assured of confidentiality and our response rate was 32%.

Findings suggest that different factors are influencing nurses’ decisions to work in Ontario or Michigan in this region. As expected salary and full time employment are factors affecting nurses initial decisions, however work environment factors are also important to many, and given as reasons for remaining in their place of employment. Work scheduling and opportunities to work in specialized centers also influenced nurses’ decisions.

This research provides additional understanding of factors influencing nurses’ decision-making in a border community and provides information for policy-makers as well as employers when they are considering recruitment and retention strategies to maintain their nursing work-force.