Hospital Nurses' Job Security and Turnover Intention and Factors Contributing to Their Turnover Intention: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Background: Job security is a critical factor behind quality care delivery. However, it is still unclear whether job security is related to turnover intention among Iranian nurses. Objectives: This study aimed to determine job security and turnover intention and also factors behind turnover intention among hospital nurses who worked in Tehran, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from April to November 2015 in three public and three private tertiary hospitals in Tehran, Iran. A quota sample of hospital nurses was recruited and a researcher-made questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were analyzed through the Chi-square and the independent-sample t-tests, the one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis, and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: The mean score of job security was 3.10 +/- 0.38 (from a possible range of 1-5). Around 22.6% of nurses reported low job security. Job security among nurses in private hospitals was significantly greater than those in public hospitals (P = 0.001). Moreover, 32.7% of nurses reported that they will leave their profession if they find another job opportunity. Factors behind nurses' turnover intention were work experience (odds ratio [OR] = 1.30; confidence interval [CI]: 1.117-2.742), organizational justice (OR = 0.516; CI: 0.522-0.785), job prospect and stability (OR = 0.533; CI: 0.299-0.948), relationships with managers and colleagues (OR = 0.401; CI: 0.409-0.927), and work environment (OR = 0.414; CI: 0.227-0.856). Conclusions: Hospital managers need to develop and adopt effective policies to promote nurses' job security and reduce their turnover intention through improving their job satisfaction and working conditions, providing fair compensations, enhancing supportive nursing management, promoting job prospect and stability, and facilitating competence-based career advancement.