The mediating role of job burnout in the relationship between career plateau and turnover intention among nurses

High turnover rates can hinder hospitals and the healthcare system from achieving their goals of providing high-quality medical services. Consequently, turnover intention (TI) has emerged as a critical issue within healthcare environments, adversely affecting the quality of care delivered to patients. This study investigates the relationship between career plateau (CP) and TI among nurses, with job burnout (JB) serving as a mediating factor. This cross-sectional study was conducted from February to November 2021. The population comprised 1,289 nurses from Qazvin University of Medical Sciences (QUMS) teaching hospitals. According to Morgan's sample size table, the required sample size was determined to be 297 nurses. A stratified sampling method was employed to ensure a representative sample. We utilized standardized questionnaires, including Milliman's CP Scale, Maslach's JB Inventory, and Kim-Leong's TI Scale. Statistical analyses were performed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation tests, and regression analyses to explore the relationships among the variables. The results were analyzed using R software version 4.1.1. The means and standard deviations for the study variables were as follows: CP (M = 38.08, SD = 5.75), JB (M = 65.99, SD = 16.68), and TI (M = 8.20, SD = 3.31). The results indicated that CP has an indirect relationship with TI, mediated by job burnout. Significant positive correlations were observed among the variables: JB with TI, JB with CP, and CP with TI (p < 0.05), both content plateau and hierarchical plateau scores were higher in female nurses. Additionally, mean scores for job burnout, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and TI were also higher among female nurses. Our findings demonstrate that CP significantly influences JB and TI among nurses. The implications of TI are substantial, as they incur high costs related to recruitment, training, and employee retention. Therefore, healthcare managers should adopt human resource management strategies aimed at alleviating workload and working hours, promoting physical and mental health, reducing stress levels, and enhancing communication skills. Implementing these strategies can improve job satisfaction among nurses and ultimately reduce burnout and TI.