Geographic mobility of Korean new graduate nurses from their first to subsequent jobs and metropolitan-nonmetropolitan differences in their job satisfaction

Abstract

Background: Nurses are known to migrate from rural to urban areas, which may cause geographic imbalances in the workforce.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare new graduate nurse retention based on the type of geographic area (capital, metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan) of their first job and their job satisfaction by geographic location.

Methods: The sample included 533 nursing graduates working full-time as registered nurses in hospitals or clinics. Survival analysis was conducted to compare nurse retention in three geographic locations.

Results: Survival curves for nurses in capital and nonmetropolitan areas were significantly different. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival probabilities of nurses in the capital were .923, .881, and .872, respectively, whereas those in nonmetropolitan areas were .887, .776, and .672, respectively. Nurses in nonmetropolitan areas were more dissatisfied with pay (odd ratio [OR] = 1.820, p = .009), fringe benefits (OR =1.893, p = .015), employment security (OR =2.640, p = .033), and personal growth (OR =1.626, p = .045) than those in the capital.

Conclusions: Nurses employed in nonmetropolitan areas were more mobile and less satisfied with their jobs than those in the capital.

Keywords: Migration; Mobility; New graduate; Registered nurse.