Relationship between Career Plateau, Career Planning, Social Support, and Turnover Intention in Nurses

Abstract

Purpose: This study was a correlational research to examine the relationship between career plateau, career planning, social support and turnover intention experienced by nurses in the clinical nursing field. Methods: Participants were 237 nurses working in general hospitals with 100~300 beds located in G Metropolitan City. Data were collected from September 26 to October 6, 2016, and analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 22.0 program. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, univariate ANOVA, Scheffe test, correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were conducted. Results: Participants’ turnover intention was positively correlated with career plateau (r=.38, p＜.001), structural career plateau (r=.31, p＜.001) and content plateau (r=.35, p＜.001), but negatively correlated with social support (r=-.38, p＜.001), supervisor support (r=-.36, p＜.001), peer support (r=-.32, p＜.001), and career planning (r=-.15, p=.043). Factors associated with participants’ turnover intention were supervisor support (β=-.22, p=.006), structural career plateau (β=.19, p=.012), and content career plateau (β=.14, p=.047). Conclusion: Results suggest that structural career plateau, content career plateau, and supervisor support are related to nurses’ turnover intention. To lower nurses’ turnover intention, alternative ways must be developed to improve the structure of nursing organizations to address career plateau and establish an organizational culture that can be supported by supervisors.