Job change among early career nurses and related factors: A postgraduation 4-year follow-up study

This study aimed to identify the job change status and related factors among nurses during the first 4 years of their professional life.

The early turnover and job change of nurses results in negative patient and nurse outcomes and financial losses.

A prospective longitudinal observational design and convenience sampling were used. From five nursing schools in South Korea, 526 individuals participated in the first survey conducted before graduation; 317 and 338 individuals participated in the second and third surveys, respectively (4 months after employment, and 4 years after graduation).

In total, 42.0% of the participants remained at the hospital of their first job, 26.6% switched hospitals, and 12.1% moved to a nonhospital job. Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that switching hospitals was associated with nurses' grade point average, type of hospital, first job satisfaction, and current pay. Moving to a nonhospital job was related to gender, type of hospital, current pay, and work-life balance.

To reduce the early turnover and job change, hospitals should provide educational programmes for nurses, support male nurses, and increase job satisfaction and work-life balance.

Since this study addresses the working conditions and satisfaction of individuals who were re-employed after experiencing job turnover, it clarifies how nurse managers may reduce turnover. Namely, nurse managers should establish a work environment promoting good work-life balance.