title: Predicting Nurses' Turnover: The Aversive Effects of Decreased Identity, Poor Interpersonal Communication, and Learned Helplessness.
abstract: Through a social identity theoretical lens, this study examines how nurses' identification with their working small group, unit, or floor, nursing role (e.g., staff ER nurse, nurse practitioner), and nursing profession relate to nurses' interaction involvement, willingness to confront conflict, feelings of learned helplessness, and tenure (employment turnover) intentions. A cross-sectional survey (N = 466) was conducted at a large, quaternary care hospital system. Structural equation modeling uncovered direct and indirect effects between the five primary variables. Findings demonstrate direct relationships between nurse identity (as a latent variable) and interaction involvement, willingness to confront conflict, and tenure intentions. Feelings of learned helplessness are attenuated by increased nurse identity through interaction involvement and willingness to confront conflict. In addition, willingness to confront conflict and learned helplessness mediate the relationship between interaction involvement and nurses' tenure intentions. Theoretical extensions include indirect links between nurse identity and learned helplessness via interaction involvement and willingness to confront conflict. Implications for interpersonal communication theory development, health communication, and the nursing profession are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a College of Nursing , The Ohio State University , Columbus , Ohio , USA.|b Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital , Columbus , Ohio , USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Moreland
authors.affiliation: c School of Communication , The Ohio State University , Columbus , Ohio , USA.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Ewoldsen
authors.affiliation: d Office of Research and Innovation-Nursing Institute , Cleveland Clinic , Cleveland , Ohio , USA.
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.affiliation: c School of Communication , The Ohio State University , Columbus , Ohio , USA.
authors.forename: Gerald M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Kosicki
authors.affiliation: e College Of Nursing , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , Utah , USA.
authors.forename: Margaret F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Clayton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006380:Helplessness, Learned; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D012933:Social Identification