[[alternative]]Prediction of Demographic Data and Job Satisfaction for Turnover Intention Among Nurses Working in the St Kitts and Nevis Nursing System

[[abstract]]AbstractBackground: Health care workers are aging and this in turn will create a shortage of nurses. Nursing shortages lead to a high turnover rate among nursing personnel which impacts institutions by causing a financial burden. Nurses continually leaving the profession results in a decrease in enthusiasm among the nursing staff that remains which in turn leads to a deficit in the quality of care that patients expect in St Kitts and Nevis in Caribbean.Aims: To investigate demographic data, job satisfaction, and turnover intention among nurses. To explore the differences between demographic characteristics, job satisfaction and turnover intention among nurses. Finally, to predict the variables that influence turnover intention among nurses working in the hospitals and district health centers of St Kitts and Nevis in Caribbean.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study design was used to understand nurse job satisfaction in St Kitts and Nevis and its differences between demographic data and intention to quit. The data was gathered virtually via google forms then transported to excel then on to SPSS. Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis with t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple hierarchical regression was used. Results: The results indicated a general satisfaction of 73. 8% among the nurses in the study. Age showed that it was statistically significant (t =2.87, p = .016). Tukey Post Hoc Comparison showed that nurses’ age 30 years to 40 years old were more likely to have turnover intention. Tenure was statistically significant (t = 7.011, p = .001) with Tukey Post Hoc Comparison showing that nurses who has served under twenty years more likely to consider leaving the institution. General turnover intention was at 35% with coworker as the main predictor for turnover intention.Conclusion: This study found more than half of the respondents were satisfied with their job but still have turnover intention. The predictor for turnover intention is coworker. This predictor shows us that if employers invest greater in the person rather than the institution, the rate of turnover intention may possibly decrease. The reasons for the nurses wanting to leave may not have been adequately identified in this study and further studies are necessary to gain better insight.Nursing implication: Many literatures, including ours, indicate that by knowing the predicting factors of job satisfaction and/or turnover intention, policy makers and managers can implement retention activities. The more satisfied a nurse is, the lower the turnover intention rate is. Low satisfaction leads to several risks which include patients not being satisfied with their care, poor care given by the nursing staff, high mortality rates resulting from low nursing staff levels and nurse burnout. Improving work environment improves nurse job satisfaction.Key Words: clinical nurse, job satisfaction, turnover intention, predictor, Caribbea