Reasons for leaving nursing: A study among Turkish nurses
Ayşen Uğur Gök
Government Hospital, İsparta, Turkey
Gülseren Kocaman
School of Nursing, Department of Nursing Management, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey
PP: 065 - 074
Abstract
Background:
Reasons for the growing nursing shortage are often complex and multidimensional.
Aim:
To explore the phenomenon of why Turkish nurses leave nursing.
Methods:
The sample in this descriptive study was 134 nurses who had left the profession. A snowball sampling method was used to identify subjects and multiple methods were used to elicit reasons for leaving. Data analysis included descriptive statistics.
Results:
The main reasons for leaving nursing were related to unsatisfactory working conditions and a negative perception of nursing. Of the respondents, 69.4% received education in a non-nursing field. The most popular career choice was teaching (27.6%). The results of this study indicate that working conditions and public opinion adversely affect a nurse's interest in the profession.
Conclusions:
The results of the study indicate a need to improve working conditions and to approach this subject from a multidimensional perspective.
Keywords
leaving the profession; nursing; nurse retention; reasons for leaving
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