A longitudinal study of factors associated with intentions to leave among newly graduated nurses in eight advanced treatment hospitals in Japan

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the factors associated with intentions to leave among newly graduated nurses (NGNs), using a longitudinal design. We distributed self-administered questionnaires (to be returned anonymously) to all the NGNs (n=567) in nine advanced treatment hospitals in Japan on two separate occasions (Time 1 and Time 2, which were approximately 6 months apart). The questionnaire items addressed individual attributes, employment and organizational characteristics, and subjective health, and also included the 22-item Job Content Questionnaire, a scale of intentions to leave, and a novel 21-item job readiness scale. The data from 301 NGNs who had participated in both questionnaire instances was used, and a hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to investigate the factors associated with intentions to leave. The results showed that while psychological distress was a more important predictor of intentions to leave than was cumulative fatigue at Time 1, cumulative fatigue was a more important predictor at Time 2. Among the job stressors, a lack of coworker support consistently led to increased intentions to leave, while a lack of supervisor support had a greater impact on intentions to leave at Time 1. "Being personally suited for nursing work", which was one of the job-readiness subscales, was found to independently and consistently influence intentions to leave. Our study findings revealed the predictors of intentions to leave among NGNs early in their careers in Japan.