Source: International Journal of Nursing Studies  Vol. 34 No. 5  p. 375-384  1997

This study used a cross-sectional, correlational design to test a model of absence and turnover of registered nurses developed from a review of the research literature (Gauci Borda and Norman, 1997).  Testing the model involved comparing the realtionship between job satisfaction, kinship responsibility, pay, employment opportunity, intent to stay in employment and absence for male and femal registered nurses.  All registered nurses (N=254) working in clinical areas on a full-time shift basis, in one large general hospital in Malta were surveyed by questionnaire and their absence data were obtained from the hospital personnel records.  A response rate of 67% (n=171) was achieved.  The results showed that nurses were satisfied with their job and intended to stay in their present employment for the next 12 months.  Relationships between variables differed between male and female nurses, with job satisfaction being associated with intent to stay for male nurses but not for female nurses, and kinship responsibility and intent to stay being associated with absence for female nurses but not males.  In contrast to many previous studies of nurses, an association was found between job satisfaction and absence.  Several variables including fear of change, which may influence intent to stay of Maltese nurses, were identified.
The proposed model of absence and turnover stood up reasonably well to testing, but the results for the whole sample , and the sub-samples of male and female nurses supported different parts of the model.  The main implication for future research is that  male and female nurses should be studied separately due to differences found between the two groups.