Impact of role conflict and job stress on turnover intention among Korean physician assistant nurses: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationships among role conflict, job stress, and turnover intention among physician assistant (PA) nurses in the Republic of Korea and to identify key influencing factors of turnover intention. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 120 PA nurses recruited through a professional PA network in Gyeonggi Province and Daejeon Metropolitan City between June 1 and September 30, 2023. Validated instruments were used to measure role conflict, job stress, and turnover intention. Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the associations between these variables, and multiple regression analysis was performed to identify influencing factors while controlling for demographic, organizational, and psychological covariates. Results: PA nurses reported relatively high levels of role conflict (3.66 ± 0.60), particularly in the subdomains of role ambiguity and work overload, moderate levels of job stress (2.78 ± 0.21) and higher levels of turnover intention (3.80 ± 0.64). Correlation analysis showed a strong positive association between role conflict and turnover intention ( Conclusions: This study identified key factors influencing turnover intention, including role conflict (primarily driven by role ambiguity and work overload), educational level, and job stress. These findings suggest that establishing clear role definitions, enhancing legal recognition of PA nurses, providing ongoing professional education, and implementing stress management programs are essential strategies for improving PA nurse retention and healthcare workforce stability.