Factors associated with the attrition of nurses in public health facilities in Khomas Region, of Namibia

Abstract

Objectives: The study objectives wereto analyze the relationship between the factors and turnover
of nurses at public health facilities and to recommend strategies that would reduce voluntary turnover
of nurses in the Khomas Region.
Methods: A quantitative and to a less extent, qualitative method (triangulation) was employed
against a sample of 172 nursing staff using the stratified random sampling method. The data collection
instrument was a questionnaire instrument with the larger part of it focusing on quantitative method
and a smaller last part on qualitative data based on open ended questions. Data analysis for the
quantitative research method utilized SPSS, while the quantitative analysis employed ATLAS ti.
Results: Using factor analysis, a conundrum of factors affecting nursing turnover were revealed.
Prominent among them were poor working conditions; unsatisfactory salary (.79 commonality), insufficient
time for training (.75 commonality), lack of chance for promotion (.80) and lack of managers
encouraging participation (.80). Further outcomes indicated that nepotism, favoritism, delayed overtime
payments, lack of team work, unskilled supervisors including lack of career development were the
main factors leading to nursing turnover.
Conclusion: A number of predictors were determined in the study through the nurses’ demographical
make up as well as job satisfaction and remuneration as the cardinal factors causing nurses attrition
from the public healthcare sector. More focus should be made in improving job satisfaction through
regular employee satisfaction surveys.