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. 2022 Feb 10;19(4):1947.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19041947.

Sick Leave and Intention to Quit the Job among Nursing Staff in German Hospitals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Caterina Schug  1 , Franziska Geiser  2 , Nina Hiebel  2 , Petra Beschoner  3 , Lucia Jerg-Bretzke  3 , Christian Albus  4 , Kerstin Weidner  5 , Eva Morawa  1 , Yesim Erim  1
Affiliations

Sick Leave and Intention to Quit the Job among Nursing Staff in German Hospitals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Caterina Schug et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Sick leave and turnover of nurses exacerbate an already existing nursing shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and other countries. Frequency and associated factors of sick leave and intention to quit among nurses need to be examined to maintain healthcare.

Methods: An online survey among nursing staff (N = 757) in German hospitals was conducted between May and July 2021. Sick leave days, intention to quit, working conditions, depression, anxiety and sleep disorder symptoms, effort-reward imbalance (ERI), COVID-19-related and sociodemographic variables were measured. Regression analyses were performed.

Results: The intention to quit was present in 18.9%. One third (32.5%) reported sick leave of ≥10 and 12.3% more than 25 days in 12 months. Significant predictors for ≥10 sick leave days were infection with SARS-CoV-2, a pre-existing illness, exhaustion, trust in colleagues and fear of becoming infected. Higher ERI reward levels, perception of sufficient staff and contact with infected patients were associated with lower odds for ≥10 sick leave days. Lower reward levels, having changed work departments during the pandemic, working part-time and higher depression levels significantly predicted turnover intention.

Conclusion: Alarmingly, many nurses intend to quit working in healthcare. Perceived reward seems to buffer both sick leave and turnover intention. Enhancing protection from COVID-19 and reducing workload might also prevent sick leave. Depression prevention, improved change management and support of part-time workers could contribute to reducing turnover intention among nurses.

Keywords: COVID-19; health care; health care workers; intention to quit; nurses; sick leave; turnover.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Frequency of sick leave days in the total study sample (N = 757).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Frequency of nurses’ intention to reduce working hours and to change/give up the job and realized reduction of working hours and change of the job within the medical field (N = 757).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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