Abstract:
Background: Nurses are essential to the health care delivery system especially to meet the health related
millennium development goals. However, despite the significant shortage of nurses in Ethiopia, research in the
country regarding nurses’ intent to stay in their profession is lacking. This study assessed intent to stay in the
nursing profession and associated factors among nurses working in referral hospitals, Amhara Regional State,
Ethiopia.
Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 389 nurses from April 8 to May 5, 2013.
Stratified random sampling technique was used to select the study participants from five referral hospitals. Data
were collected using pretested and structured self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were
conducted to summarize the sample characteristics. Backward stepwise logistic regression model was fitted and
adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was calculated to identify associated factors.
Results: The proportion of nurses who reported intent to stay in the nursing profession was 39.8%. Age 40 to 49
(AOR [95% CI] 4.5 [1.6-12.8]), being married (AOR [95% CI] 2.0 [1.0-3.8]), having a bachelor degree in nursing (AOR
[95% CI] 2.2 [1.2-4.1]), satisfaction with: autonomy and professional opportunities (AOR [95% CI] 2.6 [1.2-5.9]),
scheduling (AOR [95% CI] 3.4 [1.6-7.5]), and pay and benefits (AOR [95% CI] 8.8 [4.5-17.1]); high continuance
commitment (AOR [95% CI] 2.4 [1.3-4.8]) and high normative commitment (AOR [95% CI] 3.7 [1.9-7.2]) were the
significant predictors of intent to stay in the nursing profession.
Conclusions: Intent to stay in the nursing profession was low among nurses working in Amhara Regional State
referral hospitals. Interventions aimed at increasing the professional autonomy of nurses and revising the current
salary and other duty payments are vita
