Factors Influencing Intention to Leave Among Nurse Managers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Leadership
• Workforce Psychology

Background:

• High turnover rates among nurse managers pose a significant threat to healthcare system stability and quality of care.
• Understanding the factors influencing nurse managers' intention to leave (ITL) is crucial for developing effective retention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the proportion of Italian nurse managers intending to leave their positions.
• To identify socio-demographic, job-related, and psychosocial factors associated with ITL in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 464 nurse managers from 19 Italian public hospitals.
• Data collected via case-report forms and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II (COPSOQ II).
• Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and multiple logistic regression were used to identify ITL profiles and associated factors.

Main Results:

• 61.2% of nurse managers reported an intention to leave within 12 months.
• Two distinct profiles emerged: Low-ITL (positive work environment, good management relations) and High-ITL (poor management relations, high job demands, work-family conflict).
• Stronger management relations decreased ITL, while high job demands and work-health conflict increased it. Northern location was also associated with higher ITL.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare organizations must implement targeted strategies to improve managerial and organizational factors to reduce nurse managers' ITL.
• Interventions focusing on enhancing organizational support, work environment, and job satisfaction are vital for retaining nurse managers.
• Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of organizational interventions in sustaining nurse manager retention.