The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to determine the influence of job stress and positive psychological capital on turnover intention among novice nurses. The participants were 161 novice nurses with less than 12 months of working period at two university hospitals in D city. Data were collected through self-reporting questionnaire about general characteristics, job stress, positive psychological capital and turnover intention. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, scheffe test, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis with SPSS statistics 23.0 program.
The results of the study were as follows:
1. The mean score of job stress was 3.42(±0.48) points. The mean score of positive psychological capital was 3.67(±0.60) points, and turnover intention was 3.13(±0.65) points.
2. According to general characteristics, there were significant differences in turnover intention depending on satisfaction of salary(t=-4.19, p<.001), total length of work(t=-2.05, p=.042), and satisfaction of relationship with colleagues(t=-3.44, p=.001).
3. Turnover intention was positively correlated with job stress(r=.25, p=.001), and was negatively correlated with positive psychological capital(r=-.32, p<.001).
4. Variables, which affects the turnover intention, were satisfaction of salary(β=.18, t=2.47, p=.015), total length of work(β=.20, t=2.91, p=.004), satisfaction of relationship with colleagues(β=.17, t=2.52, p=.013), job stress(β=.18, t=2.52, p=.012) and positive psychological capital(β=-.27, t=-3.90, p<.001). These variables explained 24.7% of novice nurses’ turnover intention.
In conclusion, novice nurses had higher turnover intentions when they were dissatisfied with their salary, when their working period was more than seven months and when they were dissatisfied with their relationship with colleagues. The higher the job stress and the lower the positive psychological capital, the higher the turnover intention of novice nurses. Therefore, for the prevention of novice nurses’ turnover and stable workforce management, it is necessary, in consideration of working periods, to develop an appropriate compensation system, apply programs to improve interpersonal relations, develop and provide programs to reduce job stress and improve positive psychological capital.