Intent to stay in the nursing profession and associated factors among nurses working in Amhara Regional State Referral Hospitals, Ethiopia

Abstract

BackgroundNurses are essential to the health care delivery system especially to meet the health related millennium development goals. However, despite the significant shortage of nurses in Ethiopia, research in the country regarding nurses’ intent to stay in their profession is lacking. This study assessed intent to stay in the nursing profession and associated factors among nurses working in referral hospitals, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia.MethodsInstitution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 389 nurses from April 8 to May 5, 2013. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select the study participants from five referral hospitals. Data were collected using pretested and structured self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were conducted to summarize the sample characteristics. Backward stepwise logistic regression model was fitted and adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was calculated to identify associated factors.ResultsThe proportion of nurses who reported intent to stay in the nursing profession was 39.8%. Age 40 to 49 (AOR [95% CI] 4.5 [1.6-12.8]), being married (AOR [95% CI] 2.0 [1.0-3.8]), having a bachelor degree in nursing (AOR [95% CI] 2.2 [1.2-4.1]), satisfaction with: autonomy and professional opportunities (AOR [95% CI] 2.6 [1.2-5.9]), scheduling (AOR [95% CI] 3.4 [1.6-7.5]), and pay and benefits (AOR [95% CI] 8.8 [4.5-17.1]); high continuance commitment (AOR [95% CI] 2.4 [1.3-4.8]) and high normative commitment (AOR [95% CI] 3.7 [1.9-7.2]) were the significant predictors of intent to stay in the nursing profession.ConclusionsIntent to stay in the nursing profession was low among nurses working in Amhara Regional State referral hospitals. Interventions aimed at increasing the professional autonomy of nurses and revising the current salary and other duty payments are vital.

Factors influencing public hospital nurses’ intentions to leave their current employment in Jordan

“…This finding is consistent with studies conducted in both Ethiopia and Hungary but our intending to leave rate is higher than that found in the USA. 7,26,27 This may be due to differences in job satisfaction as American nurses may have higher salaries and more benefits compared to nurses in our sample and to nurses who work in public hospitals in the developing world. Our findings suggest that the majority of nurses in our study population were dissatisfied with their work, a fact that should prompt hospital administrators to seek practical strategies to improve staff retention in their public hospitals.…”

“…This finding is in line with previous studies conducted in Ethiopia, China, and South Africa. 7,8,28 One possible explanation for this finding might be that older nurses have more of a desire for stability as they approach their retirement age; the prospect of a retirement income is important to improving their quality of life. Also be that nurses over 35 years are more likely to have a family and therefore job stability is important.…”

“…The factors that could affect a nurses" satisfaction and intention identified in the literature was used to develop the self-completed questionnaire administered to participants. 5,7,8,16,[23][24][25] The first part of the questionnaire evaluated demographic data including the nurse's gender, age, level of education, marital status, have children, years" experience, and role in nursing. One question regarding RNs intention to leave or to stay within the next 12 months was included in part 1.…”

“…[5][6][7] The driving forces behind nurses" intent to leave seem to include the factors influencing job satisfaction. 5,7,8 This indicates that job satisfaction plays a lead role behind intention to stay or leave in nursing profession.…”

“…[5][6][7] The driving forces behind nurses" intent to leave seem to include the factors influencing job satisfaction. 5,7,8 This indicates that job satisfaction plays a lead role behind intention to stay or leave in nursing profession. 9,10 Researchers identify the various facets of job satisfaction and verify what influence these components on workers" productivity.…”