Effect of nursing professionalism and organizational communication on intent to stay in geriatric hospital nurses

Abstract

Purpose: This study was performed to measure nursing professionalism, organizational communication, and intent to stay, and investigate the relationship among these three variables in geriatric hospital nurses. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was done with the participation of 195 nurses working at 23 geriatric hospitals in B city of Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. Data were collected from January 19 to 25, 2018 using structured questionnaires and were analyzed using SPSS/WIN program. Results: The geriatric hospital nurses' scores for nursing professionalism, organizational communication, and intent to stay were relatively lower than those of general hospital nurses. Each of these three variables was differently perceived according to participants' general characteristics but there was a positive correlation between them. The factors influencing intent to stay were organizational communication, age and through newspapers/advertising (one of motivations for working at geriatric hospitals). These three variables explained 47% of intent to stay. Conclusion: To increase intent to stay in geriatric hospital nurses, nursing or hospital managers must develop and apply programs that help improve nurses' professionalism and organizational communication. Especially geriatric hospital nursing managers should try to provide organizational communication enhancement programs for young and inexperienced nurses.