Abstract

The global shortage of nurses, coupled with an ageing population and rising healthcare demands, significantly compromises patient care and strains healthcare systems. Compounding the shortage of nurses are nurse educators leaving academia at alarming rates. Classical management strategies, focusing on efficiency and hierarchy, often fail to address the humanistic values necessary to retain a committed workforce, particularly in African contexts. This study aims to understand nurse educator resignations through the lens of Freire’s humanising philosophy, while also exploring strategies for their retention using humanising approaches rooted in the African philosophy of Ubuntu. The study used a secondary data analysis of qualitative interviews from a prior investigation into nurse educator resignations at a Johannesburg nursing education institution. The data were re-examined through the lenses of Ubuntu philosophy and Paulo Freire’s humanisation theory, employing Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach to identify key factors contributing to resignations and potential humanising retention strategies. Four themes emerged: dehumanisation, lack of engagement, oppression, and the search for purpose and meaning. Nurse educators reported feeling stifled by authoritarian management, unsupported in their roles, and overwhelmed by increasing workloads. Cultural insensitivity and a lack of communal support further compounded their resignations. Many expressed a desire for management practices that prioritised compassion, respect, and communal care, values central to Ubuntu philosophy. Integrating Ubuntu principles into management strategies could help foster a supportive and inclusive environment, potentially reducing resignations and offering a framework for creating a more humane and engaging workplace.