Cynicism in hospital staff nurses: the effect of intention to leave and job change over time

Abstract

Aim: To determine whether cynicism changes over time as a function of job change for nurses with high and low intentions to leave.

Background: Cynicism develops in reaction to organisational events including leaders' actions and can result in costly passive withdrawal behaviours.

Method: Hospital staff nurses (n = 436) completed a survey assessing their intentions to leave the job and cynicism and then completed follow-up surveys assessing cynicism and job change 1 or 2 years later. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to examine the effect of the interaction between intention to leave, job change and time on cynicism.

Result: Nurses who left their hospital and nurses with high initial intention to leave who changed jobs within their hospital reported declining levels of cynicism over 2 years. Cynicism increased for nurses with low intention to leave who remained at the same job and for those who experienced an internal job change despite low intention to leave.

Conclusion: For those who desire it, an internal job change may allow for a recalibration of cynicism and increase employee engagement.

Implications for nursing management: To attenuate cynicism, hospital leaders need to act and communicate with integrity and be cautious not to arbitrarily change the jobs of nurses with low intention to leave.

Keywords: employee cynicism; hierarchical linear modelling; job change; longitudinal study; nurse turnover.