Predictors of turnover intention among Norwegian nurses: A cohort study

Shortage of nurses and instability in the nursing workforce due to turnover have become a global concern.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether symptoms of psychological distress mediated the impact of age, gender, workplace bullying, job satisfaction, and hardiness on turnover intention when controlling for living with children, marital status, percentage of full-time equivalent, and number of night shifts last year and whether the same variables (except full-time equivalent and number of night shifts last year) could predict real turnover.

In all, 1,246 nurses took part in a survey in 2008/2009 (T1) assessing symptoms of insomnia, sleepiness, anxiety, depression, fatigue, alcohol consumption, age, gender, workplace bullying, job satisfaction, and hardiness. Three years (T2) later they completed a survey assessing turnover intention, living with children, marital status, percentage of full-time equivalent, and number of night shift last year. A total of 99 nurses had left the nursing profession during this period.

Workplace bulling was positively related to turnover intention, whereas job satisfaction and hardiness were negatively related to turnover intention. The impact of all three predictors was partly mediated by symptoms of insomnia and anxiety. Age was negatively whereas male gender was positively associated with turnover intention. These effects were partly mediated by harmful alcohol use. Nurses who were living with a partner at T2 and nurses with high scores on fatigue at T1 were more prone to leave the nursing profession during the study period compared to their counterparts.

Symptoms like insomnia, anxiety, and alcohol consumption may mediate the impact of working conditions and personality traits associated with turnover intention in nurses.

Interventions aiming at counteracting bullying, improving job satisfaction, and alleviating fatigue may reduce turnover intention/turnover.