Objectives
To identify the job resource beliefs of preregistration dental nurses and subsequently investigate their relationship with work engagement, personal accomplishment and intention to leave amongst this occupational group in Scotland.
Methods
A cross‐sectional survey design was used. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Personal accomplishment (a subscale of Maslach Burnout Inventory) and author‐developed questions for job resource beliefs and intention to leave were the measuring instruments used.
Results
Two hundred and thirty‐one dental nurses participated (82% response rate). Mean age was 25 and mean job tenure was 17.5 months. The job resource belief most valued was ‘good working relationship’. A multiple mediated path analytical model was explored. Work engagement adjusted for job resource beliefs was very strongly negatively associated with intention to leave (−0.93). There was an indirect relationship between job resource beliefs and intention to leave (−0.28) mediated via work engagement and personal accomplishment.
Conclusions
Dental nurses under training held job resource beliefs about their profession that were associated with work engagement, personal accomplishment and their stability of remaining in the job.