RESUMEN
AIM: The aim of this study was to reveal the relationship between social skills and early resignation in Japanese novice nurses. BACKGROUND: The early resignation of novice nurses has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the personal sociality of novice nurses and their early resignation. METHODS: We surveyed 272 nurses with 1-3 years of experience. Instances of early resignation were studied by using a questionnaire, and their social skills were measured using Kikuchi's Scale of Social Skills:18 items (KiSS-18), a tool developed by Kikuchi to estimate sociality. RESULTS: Nurses with low sociality were more likely to resign than those with higher sociality. The lack of advanced social skills was closely associated with a higher likelihood of early resignation. CONCLUSION: The presence of advanced social skills appeared to potentially prevent resignation among novice nurses. Further investigation is needed to determine the causal relationship between sociality and early resignation. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Social skills training for novice nurses may be of benefit in preventing early resignation.