Emotional exhaustion and turnover intentions among young ICU nurses: a model based on the job demands-resources theory

BackgroundYoung nurses are the backbone of the intensive care unit nursing team. Their turnover intentions not only directly impact the physiological health and life outcomes of critically ill patients but also significantly affect the efficient operation of the healthcare system. Previous research has noted the association between nurse emotional exhaustion and turnover intentions. However, few studies have examined how both external and internal resources simultaneously moderate this relationship, especially among young intensive care unit nurses. This study explore the potential mechanisms by which emotional exhaustion affects turnover intentions among young intensive care unit nurses. On this basis, it investigates how organizational justice and organizational-based self-esteem, as critical work resources, moderate the relationship between emotional exhaustion and turnover intentions.MethodsA cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A total of 490 questionnaires were distributed, with a final valid response rate of 91.2%. SPSS 27.0 was utilized for descriptive analysis and Pearson correlation analysis. AMOS 25.0 was employed to construct the Structural Equation Model and the Bootstrap test.ResultsEmotional exhaustion among young intensive care unit nurses positively predicts turnover intention, with job performance playing a mediating role. The indirect effect of job performance accounts for 3.24% of the total effect. Organizational justice and organizational-based self-esteem respectively moderated the relationship between emotional exhaustion and turnover intention. The combined indirect effects accounted for 17.18% and 12.76% of the total effect, respectively. Organizational justice and organizational-based self-esteem, as well as organizational justice, organizational-based self-esteem, and job performance, respectively played a chain mediating role between emotional exhaustion and turnover intention. The indirect effect accounted for 3.82% and 3.63% of the total effect, respectively.ConclusionEmotional exhaustion has a positive predictive effect on turnover intention among young intensive care unit nurses, with job performance playing a mediating role. Organizational justice and organizational-based self-esteem, as key work resources, moderated this relationship, mitigating the impact of emotional exhaustion on turnover intention.Clinical trial numberNot applicable.