Factors Associated with Nurses' Intention to Leave from Different Critical Care Units

Context: Nurses' likelihood of leaving the intensive care unit is substantially high. The high turnover intention among nurses significantly contributes to nursing shortages, although several other factors also play a role. Aim: This study sought to identify the factors associated with nurses' intention to leave from different critical care units. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at Dammam Medical Complex on 291 critical care nurses. Data were gathered through a self-administered questionnaire that included demographic and employment information, the Nurses' Intention to Leave Scale, and the Job Content and Work Factors Assessment tool. Results: 55.3% of nurses are uncertain about their intent to leave, 32.6% have high intent to leave, and 12.1% have low intent to leave. The age group below 30 is significantly associated with intent to leave work in critical care units (p<0.05). Also, decreased job-skill discretion for nurses in the critical care units contributed significantly to their intent to leave the ICU (p<0.05). Conclusion: One-third of the studied nurses are highly intent on leaving the ICU because of their young age and job-skill discretion. The hospital manager must promote continuing education and training to motivate new nurses to decrease their intention to leave the ICU. Nursing management should consider implementing a competency-based evaluation system alongside compensation adjustments that reflect clinical experience to address nurse turnover. Ensuring competitive compensation aligned with skill levels can improve retention rates among skilled nurses. Furthermore, maintaining adequate staffing levels is essential to uphold quality care, emphasizing the need for strategic hiring practices in nursing departments.