Why Do They Stay? Intention to Stay among Registered Nurses in Nursing Homes

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• High turnover rates among nursing home registered nurses (RNs) impact patient care quality and operational costs.
• Understanding factors influencing RNs' intention to stay is crucial for workforce stability in long-term care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify individual and organizational factors associated with nursing home registered nurses' intention to remain employed.
• To inform strategies for improving nurse retention in the long-term care sector.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 189 registered nurses (RNs) across 56 nursing homes in Korea.
• Data on individual and organizational factors were collected via questionnaires.
• Multilevel regression analysis was employed to examine predictors of intention to stay.

Main Results:

• Registered nurses' intention to stay was positively correlated with years of experience, perceived career promotion opportunities, and a positive resident safety culture.
• No significant organizational-level factors were found to influence RNs' intention to stay.

Conclusions:

• Individual factors, such as experience and perceived opportunities, are key drivers of nursing home RNs' intention to stay.
• While organizational factors did not show a direct statistical link, organizational support is essential to foster positive changes in individual-related factors.