The role of professional commitment in improving nurses’ professional capabilities and reducing their intention to leave: Two-wave surveys

Background: Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) can explain the mechanism underlying the formulation of nurse turnover intention. However, little is known about the role of professional commitment in such a mechanism. Aims: The aim of this study was to explore how elements of SCCT have an impact on the three aspects of professional commitment and thus nurses’ intention to leave the profession. Design: This study used surveys to collect two-wave data. Methods: The participants were sampled in all available units of a major medical centre in 2017. By using proportionate random sampling methods, we successfully followed up a representative sample of 524 full-time nurses. Most participants (98.1%) were female. Items came from Cunningham et al.'s Self-Efficacy Scale, Outcome Expectations Scale, Human Capital Scale and Vocational Interest Scale; Meyer et al.'s Professional Commitment Scale; and Teng et al.'s Turnover Intention Scale. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses. Results: Self-efficacy was positively related to outcome expectation. Outcome expectation was positively related to career interest. Career interest was positively related to affective professional commitment. Human capital was positively related to normative professional commitment. Affective professional commitment was positively related to intention to improve professional capabilities, which was further negatively related to intention to leave the profession. Conclusion: Aspects of professional commitment are important process variables in the impact of self-efficacy and outcome expectation on nurses’ turnover intention.