Predictors of registered nurses' organizational commitment and intent to stay.
BACKGROUND
Health care reform has significantly altered employment relations. Research findings suggest that the presence or absence of supportive work environments helps explain the differences observed in employee attitudes and turnover intentions.


OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to examine frontline registered nurses' (RNs') perceptions of organizational culture and attitudes and behaviors and test a model linking culture to outcome (organizational commitment and intent to stay).


METHODS
A non-experimental predictive survey design was used to test the model in a sample (N = 343) of acute care RNs employed in one Canadian province. Data were collected with the following scales: Emotional Climate, Practice Issues, Collaborative Relations, Psychological Contract Violation, General Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, and Intent to Stay.


RESULTS
The response rate was 29.4%. Most respondents were middle aged and diploma prepared, were in their current positions for 5 years or more, had 10 or more years of nursing experience, and worked full time. Despite moderate levels of job satisfaction, RNs held negative perceptions of culture (emotional climate, practice-related issues, and collaborative relations), trust, and commitment and were unlikely to stay with current employers. Structural equation modeling provided support for the impact of culture, trust, and satisfaction on commitment and partial support for intent to stay, explaining 45 and 31% of the variance, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The development and implementation of policies and interventions aimed at creating more supportive work environments and greater trust in employers and job satisfaction have merit. The most obvious benefit from such strategic interventions is the potential for improving RNs' organizational commitment and reducing turnover intentions.
Gregory
Deborah M
DM
Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. dgregory@mun.ca
Way
Christine Y
CY
LeFort
Sandra
S
Barrett
Brendan J
BJ
Parfrey
Patrick S
PS
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003625:Data Collection; D005544:Forecasting; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008875:Middle Aged; D009523:Newfoundland and Labrador; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D010558:Personnel Loyalty