A MULTIFACETED VIEW OF CAREER CHOICE AND WORK OUTCOMES OF NURSES IN HEALTHCARE

Abstract

Turnover among new nurses is rampant within the health care industry and generated significant costs for organizations and the nursing profession. The overall aim of this dissertation is to understand the career choice motivations of nurses through a framework that link initial choice motives with eventual turnover intent. A broader management understanding of the experiences and attitudes of nurses in various situations will inform healthcare organizations as to the performance management strategies to develop for employee retention. I address this by exploring pertinent situations in the nursing work environment across three essays, which incorporate qualitative and quantitative research methods. The first two essays focus on the work experiences and behavioral reactions of new nurses in the workplace. The third essay considers the importance and benefits of organizational efficacy at the individual level of analysis.