Work environment, burnout, and turnover intention among Indonesian nurses: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Nurses play a vital role in healthcare services, but various challenges make them consider leaving the profession, leading to nursing shortages both nationally and globally. However, studies exploring the factors influencing this intention remain very limited. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with nurses' turnover intentions, focusing on work environment and burnout. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design involving 252 nurses in Indonesia who had been working for at least six months, selected using non-probability sampling. Data were collected using a sociodemographic form, the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI), the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), and the Turnover Intention Scale (TIS-6). Statistical analysis was conducted using the Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis, with α = 0.05. Results: 41.3% of participants intended to leave the nursing profession. Factors significantly associated with the turnover intentions were age: <30 (AOR=6.851; 95% CI=1.908-24.601; p=0.003) and 30-40 (AOR=3.017; 95% CI=1.214-7.499; p=0.017); region of origin: Java (AOR=4.276; 95% CI=1.296-14.107; p=0.017); highest education: bachelor’s (AOR=3.391; 95% CI=1.413-8.139; p=0.006); work experience: 2-4 years (AOR=8.828; 95% CI=1.792-43.477; p=0.007) and ≥5 years (AOR=6.806; 95% CI=1.047-44.224; p=0.045); work environment: poor (AOR=5.032; 95% CI=1.133-22.344; p=0.034); and burnout: moderate (AOR=3.064; 95% CI=1.304-7.198; p=0.01) and severe (AOR=12.741; 95% CI=3.940-41.198; p<0.001). Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of targeted retention strategies that address nurses’ diverse needs throughout their careers. Initiatives should focus on enhancing supportive work environments and addressing the various challenges nurses face at different career stages.