The impact of social support upon intention to leave among female nurses in Europe: Secondary analysis of data from the NEXT survey☆
Received 28 June 2008; received in revised form 7 October 2009; accepted 10 October 2009.
Abstract
Objectives
This study examined the importance of one's social work environment in the light of prevention of premature leave from the nursing profession. A research model with social support (from direct supervisor and close colleagues) as predictor and intention to leave as the dependent variable has been tested, while controlling for job satisfaction and age. Moreover, we have studied the impact of nurses’ age upon the prevalence of social support from both parties.
Participants
Data were obtained from 17,524 registered female nurses working in hospitals throughout Europe (Belgium, Germany, Finland, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, and Slovakia).
Results
Our findings indicated that a lack of job satisfaction is an important risk factor in the light of nurses’ turnover as for most countries the intention to leave cannot be buffered by social support from one's close colleagues. However, in general, social support from one's direct superior appeared to contribute negatively to the intention to leave the profession, over and above job satisfaction and age. As regards age effects, in line with our expectation, we have found a significant negative relationship between age and social support from close colleagues, while the hypothesis regarding the relationship between age and supervisory support could not be confirmed.
Conclusions
Given its importance in the light of preventing premature leave, we advocate not to neglect the possible positive effects of social support from important key figures like nurses’ direct supervisor and close colleagues. It is necessary for health care institutions to carefully pay attention to finding opportunities to obtain more social support for all staff members. In Section 5, limitations and practical implications of this study are dealt with.
Corresponding author at: Maastricht School of Management, Department OB/HRM, Endepolsdomein 150, 6229 EP Maastricht, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 06 53796507; fax: +31 043 3870800.
☆ This study forms part of the European NEXT study (Nurses Early Exit) that has been financed by the European Commission within the Fifth Framework, Project ID: QLK-6-CT-2001-00475 (see Hasselhorn et al., 2003).
1 Scientifically coordinated the NEXT study group.
ABSTRACT