Abstract

Problem: Supporting nurses at the bedside to improve retention and intent to stay is often based on a generic approach that does not consider an individual nurse’s perceptions, experiences, and worldviews. Meaning in nursing work is a relatively unexplored but potentially important construct to investigate to build a robust understanding of the current experience of direct care nursing and intent to stay.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among meaning in work, intent to stay, and demographic and nursing work-related characteristics among U.S. Registered Nurses providing direct patient care in acute care facilities.

Research Questions: What is the relationship between meaning in work and intent to stay? What factors of meaning in work are most related to intent to stay? Are there differences based on demographics, on meaning in work or intent to stay, and the relationship between the two?

Design: A cross-sectional design with data collection through an anonymous online survey using the modular Meaningful Work Inventory (ME-Work), Intent to Stay Scale (ITS), and demographic and nursing work-related characteristics were conducted. A convenience sample of U.S. Registered Nurses working >50% of the time in direct patient care at an acute care facility were recruited.

Methods: Parametric and nonparametric methods along with simple and multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore relationships between Intent to Stay and Meaningful Work as well as in and among the ME-Work variables. Independent samples T-test were used to explore applicable demographic and work characteristics.

Analysis: Data analysis included parametric and non-parametric statistical analysis and simple and multiple regression for RQ 1 & 2. For RQ3, descriptive statistics and independent samples t-test were conducted.

Results: The survey yielded a sample size of N = 145. For research question 1 (RQI) and research question 2 (RQ2), the individual and composite scales were noted to be significantly correlated with intent to stay (ITS). As individual scales, purpose (module 1) was found to explain the most variance related to ITS, and when combined as a modular inventory, module 1 (Four Facets) was the most effective of the three modules. The results of RQ3 were exploratory due to the demographic data collected failing to reach minimum power necessary to proceed with statistical beyond independent samples t-test analysis of applicable variables, it was found that RNs working in Magnet® designated organizations showed statistically higher ITS scores than those who did not.

Conclusions: The modular ME-WORK inventory performed as a reliable and valid tool for measuring meaning in work in the acute care Registered Nurse (RN) population. Further, supporting meaning in work (personal, professional, organizational) for RNs in acute care is an important consideration when working toward improving intent to stay and stabilizing the nursing workforce.

Date of publication

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

english

Persistent identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10950/5032

Committee members

Dr. Melinda Hermanns, Dr. Barbara Haas, Dr. Amy Hayes

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing

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