Nursing stress factors affecting turnover intention among hospital nurses

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to identify the nursing stress factors, which affect turnover intention in hospital nurses.

Background: Nursing stress is known to be an important predictor of turnover intention in nurses. Although nurses experience various sources of stress across work environments, cultures, and generations, little is known about the stress factors affecting turnover intention in nurses.

Design: A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed.

Methods: A total of 329 nurses were recruited through convenience sampling from 27 hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected from May to November 2018 using a questionnaire.

Results: Among the stress factors, stress from patients and their families, workload stress, stress from conflicts with supervisors, and stress from conflicts with peers were associated with turnover intention in hospital nurses. These variables explained 40.0% of the variance in turnover intention among hospital nurses.

Conclusions: Stress from interpersonal relationships with patients and their families, supervisors, and peers may have a considerable impact on turnover intention. To reduce nursing turnover intention, coping strategies to reduce stress from patients and their families should be established. It is necessary to provide programmes that foster interpersonal relationship skills in the workplace. Nurse managers may encourage communication among nurses to establish positive relationships.

Keywords: interpersonal relations; nurse; stress factors; turnover intention.