The impact of mentor-mentee rapport on nurses' professional turnover intention: Perspectives of social capital theory and social cognitive career theory.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study examines the impacts of mentor-mentee rapport on willingness to mentor/be mentored, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, career interest and subsequently on nurses' professional turnover intention. BACKGROUND: Workplace relationships, whether positive or negative, influence nurse turnover within an organisation. Yet little is known about the effects of mentoring on nurses' intentions to leave the nursing profession. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, survey-based research design was used to collect data from a large medical centre in Northern Taiwan. METHODS: Study concepts were measured using scales from social capital theory (SCT), social cognitive career theory (SCCT) and the nursing literature. Partial least square structural equation modelling was used to test all study hypotheses. The STROBE statement was chosen as the EQUATOR checklist. RESULTS: For mentors, rapport was positively related to willingness to mentor, which was positively related to outcome expectations, and further, positively related to career interest and negatively related to professional turnover intention. For mentees, rapport was positively related to willingness to be mentored, which was positively related to self-efficacy, outcome expectations and ultimately to career interest. Career interest was negatively related to professional turnover intentions. CONCLUSIONS: Rapport between mentors and mentees may be an important means to retain nurses in the profession. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Managers should consider taking steps to enhance rapport between mentors and mentees. In doing so, managers improve nurse retention, a critical component of providing high-quality patient care.

How do career barriers and supports impact nurse professional commitment and professional turnover intention?

AIMS: This study examines how career barriers and supports (i.e., perceived discrimination, lack of advancement, human capital, and social capital) impact affective, normative, and continuance aspects of professional commitment and thus nurses' professional turnover intention. BACKGROUND: Professional commitment is known to influence professional turnover intention. However, little is known about how career barriers and supports contribute to professional commitment and reduce professional turnover intention. METHODS: This study adopted a cross-sectional design and a survey to collect representative data in a major hospital in northern Taiwan. We used proportionate random sampling to ensure sample representativeness and obtained 524 responses. RESULTS: Perceived discrimination and lack of advancement were negatively related to affective professional commitment. Human capital was positively related to affective, normative, and continuance professional commitment. Social capital was positively related to normative professional commitment. All aspects of professional commitment were negatively related to professional turnover intention. CONCLUSION: Career barriers and supports have an important influence on professional commitment. Reduced barriers and enhanced support may therefore help reduce nurses' professional turnover intentions. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nursing managers could aim to lessen career barriers while increasing career support for nurses, helping strengthen nurses' professional commitment and retention.