Current turnover intention among nurse managers, directors, and executives.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Leadership
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Nursing leadership turnover negatively impacts nurse retention and quality of care.
• Limited research exists on how different leadership levels experience their work environment and voluntary departure.
• Understanding these experiences is crucial for addressing nurse leader retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and compare the intent to leave and turnover experiences of acute care nurse managers, directors, and executives.
• To identify specific factors contributing to voluntary turnover among different levels of nurse leaders.
• To inform strategies aimed at improving nurse leader retention.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to collect data.
• Participants comprised 1880 nurse managers, directors, and executives from acute care settings across 47 states.
• The study design allowed for comparative analysis of experiences based on leadership level.

Main Results:

• More than 50% of respondents expressed intent to leave their current positions within five years.
• Reasons for leaving varied by leadership level; retirement was a factor for over 30% overall and nearly 50% of executives.
• Common voluntary reasons for departure included job dissatisfaction and seeking promotion/advancement.

Conclusions:

• Nurse managers, directors, and executives exhibit distinct patterns in turnover and intent to leave.
• Job dissatisfaction and career advancement opportunities are primary drivers of voluntary turnover.
• Addressing these factors is essential for mitigating nursing leadership turnover and its impact on healthcare quality.