Chronic Fatigue Predicts Hospital Nurse Turnover Intentions
Dana N. Rutledge, Sarah Douville, Elizabeth J. Winokur
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of workforce engagement factors on hospital nurse turnover intentions. BACKGROUND: Nurse turnover intentions are impacted by occupational fatigue and burnout, which are differentially impacted by fatigue, meaning and joy in work, and work-related resilience. METHODS: One hundred fifty-one nurses from a southwestern hospital completed online surveys. Path analyses evaluated relationships among variables. RESULTS: Chronic occupational fatigue was the only significant predictor of turnover intentions among nurses. Although strongly associated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (burnout components), burnout did not predict turnover intention. High levels of chronic fatigue predicted lower meaning and joy in work and lower work-related resilience. Although significantly correlated, meaning and joy in work and resilience did not predict total burnout scores when analyzed in causal models. CONCLUSIONS: Nurse administrators should focus efforts on factors such as chronic occupational fatigue that are likely to impact nurses' decisions to leave their positions.