Work environment issues and intention-to-leave in Portuguese nurses: A cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Workforce Studies

Background:

• The Registered Nurses Forecasting (RN4CAST) study provides a foundation for understanding nurse turnover.
• Factors influencing nurses' intention to leave are critical for healthcare system stability.
• Limited data exists on Portuguese acute care nurses' work environment and turnover intentions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the quality of the work environment and nurses' intention to leave.
• To identify specific factors within the work environment that predict intention-to-leave among Portuguese nurses.
• To examine the moderating effect of career advancement opportunities on intention-to-leave.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 2235 nurses across 144 nursing units in 31 acute care hospitals in Portugal.
• Stratified random sampling was employed to ensure representative data collection.
• Multilevel multivariate regression analysis, including moderation effects, was used to analyze the data.

Main Results:

• Intention-to-leave was higher among nurses with a specialty degree and those aged 35-39.
• Lower satisfaction with career advancement, staffing, and participation in hospital affairs correlated with higher intention-to-leave.
• Increased satisfaction with career advancement opportunities moderated the effect of age and specialty degree on intention-to-leave.

Conclusions:

• Opportunities for career advancement are crucial for retaining nurses in Portuguese acute care settings.
• Healthcare organizations should focus on enhancing job satisfaction, particularly regarding career progression, to mitigate nurse turnover.
• Targeted retention strategies focusing on career advancement can potentially counteract individual risk factors for leaving.