Intention to leave the workplace among nurses working with cancer patients in acute care hospitals in Sweden.
OBJECTIVE
To examine associations between perceived leadership and intention to leave the workplace due to job dissatisfaction among registered nurses (RNs) who care for patients with cancer. We also examine intention to leave in relation to proportion of cancer patients, length of time in practice, perceived adequacy of cancer care education, and burnout.


METHODS
The data originated from the Swedish component of RN4CAST, based on a survey of RNs working with in-patient care in all acute care hospitals in Sweden. The 7412 RNs reporting ≥10% patients with cancer on their unit were included in this analysis. Data were collected on perceptions of work environment, burnout, future employment intentions, and demographic characteristics. Additional questions related to cancer care.


RESULTS
About 1/3 of all RNs intended to leave their workplace within the next year. Intention to leave was more prevalent among RNs reporting less favourable perceptions of leadership, who had worked ≤ two years as RN, who reported having inadequate cancer care education, and with higher burnout scores. Associations between leadership and intention to leave were stronger among RNs in the profession > two years, who reported having adequate cancer care education, and with lower burnout scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Perception of leadership is strongly associated with intention to leave among RNs in both specialized and general cancer care. This suggests a crucial area for improvement in order to reduce turnover rates.
Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME), C7, Karolinska Institutet, SE-I71 77 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: mlagerlu@gmail.com.
Magdalena
M
Lagerlund
Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME), C7, Karolinska Institutet, SE-I71 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Regional Cancer Centre, Stockholm-Gotland, Box 6909, SE-102 39 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: lena.sharp@sll.se.
Lena
L
Sharp
Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME), C7, Karolinska Institutet, SE-I71 77 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: rikard.lindqvist@ki.se.
Rikard
R
Lindqvist
Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME), C7, Karolinska Institutet, SE-I71 77 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: sara.runesdotter@ki.se.
Sara
S
Runesdotter
Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME), C7, Karolinska Institutet, SE-I71 77 Stockholm, Sweden; The Innovation Center, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: carol.tishelman@ki.se.
Carol
C
Tishelman
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006761:Hospitals / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D033182:Intention; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010563:Personnel Turnover / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
Burnout; Intention to leave; Leadership; Oncology nursing; Organization; RN4CAST; Workforce