Compassion fatigue and turnover intention among nurses at a private hospital in Iloilo City

Abstract

Compassion fatigue and turnover intention are pressing issues in nursing, particularly in private hospitals. This study aimed to determine the level of compassion fatigue and level of turnover intention among nurses in a private hospital in Iloilo City, Philippines, and to examine their relationship. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, 137 nurses were selected through simple random sampling from a total population of 207, determined using a formula with a 0.05 margin of error. Data were collected using the Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5 (ProQOL) to assess compassion fatigue and the Turnover Intention Scale (TIS-6) to measure turnover intention. Findings revealed that nurses experienced moderate levels of compassion fatigue (M = 2.7, SD = 0.58) and level of turnover intention (M = 3.1, SD = 0.62). Key contributors to compassion fatigue included difficulty separating personal life from professional responsibilities and preoccupation with patient care. Turnover intention was largely influenced by aspirations for a better job and thoughts of leaving the current position. Statistical analysis using Spearman’s rho identified a significant positive relationship between compassion fatigue and turnover intention (r = 0.403, p = 0.017), indicating that higher levels of compassion fatigue correlate with an increased intention to leave.