Nurses' turnover intention and associated factors in general hospitals in China: A cross-sectional study

To measure nurses' turnover intention and identify associated factors in general hospitals in China.

Understanding nurses' turnover intention is important to retain nurses, but factors associated with turnover intention require elucidation.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted across 23 hospitals in China to investigate nurses' (N = 12,291) turnover intention and its associated factors. Associated factors were explored by univariate and multilevel multiple logistic regression analysis.

The mean total score for nurses' turnover intention was 13.97 ± 3.63. High proactive personality score, a seriously ill family member, experience of negative workplace events, high work pressure and high work-family conflict increased the risk for turnover intention. A low turnover intention was associated with being a non-local resident nurse, position title, high salary level, good person-organisation fit and person-group fit, and high family-work facilitation.

Nurses with a proactive personality, heavy family care burden, experience of negative workplace events, no position title and a low salary may merit special consideration.

Nurses' personality traits should be further focused on, and it is important to build a nurse-oriented organisation atmosphere, including protecting nurses from workplace violence, establishing friendly relationships with their families and expanding career paths.