Resilience and intent to leave in nurses in acute hospitals in Southern Ireland

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Date
2019
Authors
Harnett-Collins, Mary Ellen Gerardina
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University College Cork
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Abstract
Background: Resilience is described as both a trait and a process that promotes tolerance, perseverance, rebounding and carrying on in the face of adversity. However, resilience levels in nurses are generally reported as only low to moderate. Variation in resilience is proposed in this research to be explained by resilience supports such as supporting health, seeking support, engaging fully in life and balancing rest, recreation and responsibility. Nursing shortage is a rising global challenge and nurses' intent to leave, described as the voluntary willingness or attempt to leave, is known to precede actual leaving. Though it may be assumed that nurses with low levels of resilience leave there is no evidence to support this claim nor is there evidence of a relationship between resilience level and resilience supports. Aim: To measure resilience in nurses working in acute hospitals and to determine its relationship to resilience supports, intent to leave and demographic variables. Method: A quantitative, correlational, descriptive study was conducted with a sample of nurses (n=400) working in acute care settings with a response rate of 70% (n=281 ). Data were collected using the RS-14 to measure resilience and researcher developed instruments to measure resilience supports and intent to leave. Results: Findings indicate moderate to moderately high resilience levels. Nurses with greater resilience supports had higher levels of resilience. The mean resilience score was lower for nurses who had intent to leave their current place of work within the next year. Years of nursing experience and contract type were significantly associated with resilience. Conclusion: c are less likely to have intent to leave their current place of work within the next year. Resilience supports of 'engaging fully in life' and 'seeking support' are key to the development and support of resilience in nurses. This study supports previous findings in that nurses demonstrated an overall moderate level of resilience. Implications: This research adds to the body of knowledge on resilience in that resilience supports that predict resilience in nurses are highlighted. 'Engaging fully in life' was the strongest predictor of resilience, uniquely explaining 7.9% of the variation in resilience, while years of nursing experience, contract type, 'seeking support', 'supporting health' and 'balancing rest, recreation and responsibility' support uniquely explained 5.6%, 3.2% 2.5% 1.6% and 1.4%, respectively. The findings point to the implications for further research in the refinement of the Model of Resilience and in comparing resilience supports, resilience core and resilience responses across settings and professional disciplines.
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Keywords
Nursing shortage , Nursing shortage , Model of resilience
Citation
Harnett-Collins, M. E. G. 2019. Resilience and intent to leave in nurses in acute hospitals in Southern Ireland PhD Thesis, University College Cork.
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