Turnover of healthcare professionals’ is a rapidly growing human resource issue that affects healthcare systems. During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals have faced stressful situations that have negatively impacted their psychological health. In this study, we explored impacts of the emotional wellbeing of healthcare professionals on their intention to quit their jobs. A cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. The respondents were selected based on simple random sampling. In total, 345 questionaries were returned and used for the analysis. Respondents were healthcare professionals (nurses, doctors, midwives, technicians, etc.) working in a pandemic hospital in Turkey. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to predict the emotions that encouraged the respondents to intend to quit their jobs. Emotions including anxiety, burnout, and depression were measured using validated scales. We found that the COVID-19 situation increased the turnover intention, especially among doctors and nurses (OR_{nurse/midwife} = 22.28 (2.78–41.25), p = 0.01; OR_doctors = 18.13 (2.22–2.27), p = 0.01) mediating the emotional pressure it was putting them under. Anxiety related to work-pressure and burnout especially were the main emotional predictors of turnover intention. The more severe the anxiety was, the more the professional considered quitting (OR_moderate = 18.96 (6.75–137.69), p = 0.005; OR_severe = 37.94 (2.46–107.40), p = 0.016). Only severe burnout, however, engendered such an intention among them (OR_severe = 13.05 (1.10–33.48), p = 0.000).

The onset of COVID-19 has escalated healthcare workers’ psychological distress. Multiple factors, including prolonged exposure to COVID-19 patients, irregular working hours, and workload, have substantially contributed to stress and burnout among healthcare workers. To explore the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers, our study compares the job stress, social support, and intention to leave the job among healthcare workers working in a pandemic (H_P) and a non-pandemic hospital (H_NP) in Turkey during the pandemic. The cross-sectional, paper-based survey involved 403 healthcare workers including physicians, registered nurses, health technicians, and auxiliary staff across two hospitals from 1 September 2020 to 31 November 2020. The findings indicate a significant impact of ‘Job stress’ on ‘Intent to leave’ job among participants in the H_P. We noted that ‘intent to leave’ and ‘job stress’ were significantly higher among the H_P healthcare workers than those working in the H_NP, respectively. However, workers’ ‘social support’ was significantly lower in the H_P. Healthcare workers, during COVID-19, face several hurdles such as job stress, reduced social support, and excessive workload, all of which are potential factors influencing a care provider’s intent to leave the job.

BACKGROUND This study aims to examine the relationship between workplace health, job stress. turnover intention and interpersonal conflict in the health sector. It also seeks to unravel how the public and private working environment, and demographic variables affect those four variables. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE A cross-sectional survey design was used for this study.The respondents were selected based on simple random sampling. Out of 1000 questionnaires administered. 708 were returned (432 from public hospitals and 276 from private hospitals) and used. Correlation, multiple regression, and ANOVA analysis were used to determine the relationship and impact between the variables. RESULTS The findings revealed negative and significant relationships between workplace health and safety and stress, turnover intention and interpersonal conflict. Additionally. some results reflected the significant positive relationship between stress, turnover intention and interpersonal conflict. Finally, turnover intention, job stress, education level and number of duties accounted for 30% of the variation in workplace health and safety. CONCLUSIONS Managers within the healthcare sector of Turkey should acknowledge that workers who do not feel healthy and safe in work environments develop high stress, turnover intention, and conflict with other colleagues.