Turnover Intention and Its Relationship With Work-Related Factors Among Nurses in Spain: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Workforce Research
• Healthcare Management
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Nurse turnover intention is influenced by multiple factors, but evidence from Spain is limited.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for developing effective nurse retention strategies in diverse healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of nurse turnover intention in Spain.
• To identify factors associated with turnover intention across various Spanish healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 20,316 nurses in primary care, hospitals, emergency, and social healthcare.
• Data collected via online survey on turnover intention (within 10 years), work variables, and care perceptions.
• Multivariable logistic regression analyzed predictors of turnover intention.

Main Results:

• 39.58% of nurses intended to leave the profession within 10 years.
• Turnover intention strongly linked to poor perceived care quality (OR=1.706) and patient safety (OR=1.809).
• Temporary contracts (OR=1.333), regional disparities, and specific work conditions (e.g., shifts in primary care, long shifts in hospitals) were significant predictors.

Conclusions:

• Nurse turnover intention in Spain is significantly associated with organizational factors and regional disparities.
• Tailored, context-specific retention strategies are urgently needed to address modifiable institutional factors.
• Standardizing research methods is vital for comparative studies and effective interventions to support the nursing workforce.