Factors related to reemployed nurses’ intent to work in Korea

Abstract

Background: Approximately 8% of nurse positions are expected to be vacant by 2020 in Korea, and the shortage in small- to medium-sized hospitals is more serious in Korea. It has been suggested that efficient use of inactive nurses would help alleviate this problem. Most inactive Korean nurses reported the major reasons for leaving the nursing profession were marriage, pregnancy, and children rearing. A large portion of inactive Korean nurses reported they want to return to work.

Purpose: This study was designed to uncover the factors determining recently reemployed nurses’ intentions to continue in their current job in Korea.

Methods: A descriptive, correlation study design was used. A total of 312 Korean reemployed nurses were surveyed between August 8 and October 30, 2012 using an instrument to measure factors that impact intention to continue in their current job.

Results: Findings from a multiple-regression analysis demonstrated that the level of life conflict among reemployed nurses with partners and children was higher than those with neither partner nor children. Older reemployed nurses were statistically unlikely to have life conflict. Reemployed nurses in large hospitals and part-time nurses were more likely to be satisfied with their working environment. Results of multiple ordinary-least-squares regression analysis demonstrated positive statistically significant relationships between “job content” and “intention to continue in their current job,” and “working environment” with “intention to continue in their current job”.

Conclusion/Implication for Practice: Most reemployed nurses were unlikely to stay in their current positions. In the nursing profession, each nurse’s ability to achieve their own growth in affirmative working conditions could be the major factor impacting intent to continue in the nursing profession and in the current nursing position in Korea.