Nurses' turnover intention and associated factors in general hospitals in China: A cross‐sectional study

AIM: To measure nurses' turnover intention and identify associated factors in general hospitals in China. BACKGROUND: Understanding nurses' turnover intention is important to retain nurses, but factors associated with turnover intention require elucidation. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted across 23 hospitals in China to investigate nurses' (N = 12,291) turnover intention and its associated factors. Associated factors were explored by univariate and multilevel multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean total score for nurses' turnover intention was 13.97 ± 3.63. High proactive personality score, a seriously ill family member, experience of negative workplace events, high work pressure and high work-family conflict increased the risk for turnover intention. A low turnover intention was associated with being a non-local resident nurse, position title, high salary level, good person-organisation fit and person-group fit, and high family-work facilitation. CONCLUSION: Nurses with a proactive personality, heavy family care burden, experience of negative workplace events, no position title and a low salary may merit special consideration. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurses' personality traits should be further focused on, and it is important to build a nurse-oriented organisation atmosphere, including protecting nurses from workplace violence, establishing friendly relationships with their families and expanding career paths.