Relationships among nurses' professional identity, career satisfaction, occupational commitment, and intent to stay

Abstract

The shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States continues to be of major concern in the healthcare industry. This shortage is expected to intensify as the current workforce ages, the general population ages, and the need for healthcare grows. It has become increasingly important to investigate the factors that contribute to nurses' commitment to the profession of nursing and intent to stay in the profession. The first purpose of the study was to describe RNs' professional identity, career satisfaction, and occupational commitment and intent to stay. The second purpose was to discover how the professional identity of nurses, career satisfaction, and occupational commitment are related to intent to stay in the nursing profession.

A descriptive correlational study was conducted. A blended model of Bonding into Nursing and the Three-Component Commitment Model served as the theoretical framework. A national mailed survey included a researcher-developed demographic questionnaire; The Nurses' Professional Identity Scale; The Mariani Nursing Career Satisfaction Scale; and the Occupational Commitment Survey. Approval for the solicitation of subjects was granted prior to initiation of this study from the Institutional Review Board.

One hundred thirty-seven registered nurses from throughout the United States completed the survey booklets. The mean age of the participants was 50.41 years. Females represented 92% of the sample. The nurses in the sample reported high professional identity, high career satisfaction, moderately high occupational commitment, and strong intent to remain in the nursing profession. Stepwise multiple regression revealed that nurses' professional identity was the best predictor of intent to stay in the nursing profession.

This research adds to the body of knowledge concerning factors that influence nurses' intent to stay in the profession. Knowledge has been generated about how nurses perceive their own identity as nurses through responses on the Nurses' Professional Identity Scale. This study also provides additional knowledge concerning the relationships among nurses' professional identity, career satisfaction, occupational commitment, and intent to stay in the nursing profession.