Factors Associated With the Workforce Participation Intentions of Australian Primary Health Care Nurses and Midwives.

Abstract

Introduction: Primary health care (PHC) is fundamental to supporting individual and community health and well-being. There is a need to better understand factors impacting on PHC nurses' and midwives' intentions to remain in PHC work. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2022 Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) Workforce Survey, conducted online in the final quarter of 2022. Logistic regression modelling was employed to identify explanatory factors of intention to remain working in PHC over the next 12 months (Model 1) and over the next 2-5 years (Model 2). Results: There were 3,749 valid survey responses. Key predictors determined included elements of rurality, stress at work and access to computer resources in Model 1 (n = 2995), and years of nursing experience, being First Nations, working full-time or part-time, pay and conditions, and access to education and training in Model 2 (n = 3,004). In both models, aspects of job satisfaction and working to full scope of practice were key predictors of intention to remain in PHC work. Conclusions: Key fixed and modifiable explanatory factors identified in this research point to the need for a range of local, organisational and broader-scale initiatives to support the ongoing recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives in PHC practice.