Registered Nurses Intent to Leave

Susan Berg

Date of Graduation

Fall 2002

Degree

Master of Science in Nursing

Department

Nursing

Committee Chair

Kathryn Hope

Abstract

Nursing turnover is a chronic problem for the nursing profession. Nursing has had cycles of excesses and shortages of registered nurses since the early 1980's. Many studies have addressed these issues, however few studies focus on turnover and intent to leave in small, non-profit facilities. This study addressed variables associated with registered nurses intent to leave their jobs in Southwest Missouri. Variables included were job satisfaction; patient load; administrative practices; pay, including benefits; relations with peers and physicians; and demographic variables including age, gender, years in nursing, professional education and nursing speciality. An attitude survey, developed by the researcher, was mailed randomly to 250 registered nurses in four counties in Southwest Missouri. The return rate was forty percent. The results showed that intent to leave was not influenced by any of the variables of study. Intent to leave was related to job satisfaction. All of the variables of study were related to job satisfaction. The subjects self reported pay as the number one cause to leave their jobs and pay was also cited as the number one reason to stay at their jobs. Further study is needed to isolate a tool in which intent to leave can be evaluated in relation to job satisfaction in a more predictible manner.

Subject Categories

Nursing

Copyright

© Susan Berg

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Dissertation/Thesis

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