Factors affecting turnover of Japanese novice nurses in university hospitals in early and later periods of employment.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the factors affecting turnover of novice nurses during the 10th-15th months of employment in comparison with those during the preceding 6 months.


BACKGROUND
The early turnover of novice nurses is a serious issue. Our previous study showed that 4.0% (37/923) of novice nurses quit their jobs in the initial 3rd-9th months of employment. The major determinants of their turnover were education (i.e. graduation from vocational nursing schools), undesired ward assignment and lack of peer support.


METHODS
The cohort of 762 novice nurses from our previous study was followed up during the next 10th-15th months of employment. Their turnover in this period was predicted using variables from baseline data such as demographic attributes, burnout (J-MBI), assertiveness (J-RAS) and perceptions about the workplace.


RESULTS
The findings showed that 4.6% (35/762) of novice nurses quitted their jobs during the first 15-month period. The factors affecting the turnover were: burnout, dissatisfaction with the workplace and hospital location being in Tokyo. All these factors were different from those observed for the preceding follow-up period.


CONCLUSIONS
Burnout was revealed to be the most significant factor affecting the turnover of novice nurses. Implications for nursing management Nurse managers should be vigilant and exercise care in the prevention of burnout among novice nurses.
Suzuki
Eiko
E
Nagano College of Nursing, Akaho 1694, Komagane shi, Nagano, Japan. chihiroeiko@hotmail.com
Tagaya
Akira
A
Ota
Katsuya
K
Nagasawa
Yoshinobu
Y
Matsuura
Rieko
R
Sato
Chifumi
C
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D009729:Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010563:Personnel Turnover / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014041:Tokyo; D000078329:Workforce; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult