Organizational support, perceived social support, and intent to turnover among psychiatric nurses: A mixed methods study.

Abstract

Nurse turnover compromises the quality of patient care and leads to an increase in organizational costs. Nurse turnover is defined as the intent to leave one's current job position either to transfer to another unit within the organization or to terminate employment with the organization. Few studies have examined the role social support received at work as well as at home, personal characteristics and work factors play in guiding psychiatric nurses’ decisions to leave a current nursing position (turnover). The overall purpose of this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was to explore factors that contribute to psychiatric nurses’ intent to turnover.

In the quantitative phase, the role social support received at work and at home, personal characteristics, and work factors play in guiding psychiatric nurses’ decisions to leave a current job position (turnover) was examined based on the survey data obtained from a convenience sample of 321 psychiatric nurses registered with the Alabama Board of Nursing. To elaborate on the initial statistical findings in the qualitative phase interview data were obtained from 11 psychiatric nurses, by exploring participants’ intent to turnover in more depth.

The central question used to guide the research was what role does social support received at work as well as at home, age, gender, years of nursing education, years of nursing experience, hours worked each week, and years in current job position play in guiding Alabama psychiatric nurses’ decisions to leave a current job position? The significant predictors of psychiatric nurse turnover in the study were perceived support from the health care organization, family social support, age, gender, years of nursing education, years of nursing experience, hours worked each week, and years in current job position.

A more complete picture of psychiatric nurse turnover was obtained from qualitative data. Psychiatric nurses appeared to be at a greater risk for turnover if they perceive that the physical demands of the job exceed their abilities, that the requirement of the job interferes with family obligations, and that health care organizations do not recognize level of education and lack appreciation for years of nursing experience.

Keywords: organizational support, perceived social support, family support, registered nurses, psychiatric nursing, nurse shortage, intent to turnover