2012 Volume 16 Issue 1 Pages 5-12
The purpose of this study was to describe the trends in occupational commitment before and after employment, and to examine the relationship between intentions to continue nursing profession. A longitudinal study with self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted. T1 was prior to employment, T2 was three months and T3 was one year after employment. Data from 138 new graduate nurses for whom no data were missing from T1 to T3 were analyzed. Affective commitment decreased from T1 to T2 (p < .001), and increased form T2 to T3 (p < .001). Continuance commitment increased from T1 to T2 (p < .001) and form T2 to T3 (p = .012). Normative commitment stayed flat from T1 to T2, and decreased form T2 to T3 (p < .001). Not only all the three dimensions of occupational commitment, but also were the increase of affective commitment (p < .001) and continuance commitment (p = .012) were significantly correlated with the willingness to continue nursing profession of T3. This study suggests the need of nursing organizations to consider with the condition and the conception of occupational commitment to support new graduate nurses.
