Nurses' intention to leave the profession: integrative review

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Workforce Studies
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Nursing shortages and high turnover rates negatively impact healthcare systems.
• Understanding the drivers of nurses' intention to leave is critical for retention.
• This study addresses the need to analyze factors contributing to nurses leaving the profession.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and critique empirical research on nurses' intention to leave.
• To synthesize findings from existing studies on this topic.
• To identify key variables influencing nurses' decisions to leave.

Main Methods:

• An integrative literature review was performed using Cooper's five-stage methodology.
• Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases (1995-2009).
• Keywords included 'Nurs*' AND ('Personnel turnover' OR 'Career Mobility'); organizational turnover studies were excluded.

Main Results:

• Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria for the review.
• Heterogeneity in samples and measurement tools complicated direct comparisons.
• Identified influencing variables included demographic, work-related, and individual factors.

Conclusions:

• Further research requires robust measurement instruments and consistent metrics for intention to leave.
• More rigorous sampling strategies are needed for generalizable findings.
• Qualitative research exploring nurses' own explanations for leaving is recommended.