Predictors of Croatian nurses' turnover intention: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

The turnover intention rate among nurses is very high both worldwide, and in Europe. It is related to personal and professional factors that contribute to the decision to leave or stay. This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to identify the personal and professional predictors that contribute to nurses’ turnover intention in Croatia. A convenient sample of 448 nurses employed in public general hospitals was used. The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index questionnaire and the Turnover Intention Scale were applied. A logistic regression model was used to determine the associations between nurses' turnover intention and their personal and professional factors. The results indicate that both types of factors can influence nurses’ turnover intention. The associations between turnover intention and personal factors such as age (p = 0.033), gender (p = 0.023), job satisfaction (p < 0.001), and social satisfaction (p = 0.006), were recorded. Nurse participation in hospital affairs (p = 0.026), and the nurse manager ability, leadership, and support of nurses (p = 0.002), which are professional factors were also associated with turnover intention. In order to prevent turnover intention, continuous measures need to be planned and implemented to increase nurses' satisfaction and improve their working environment.