The effect of gender on resistance to change in nurses: An example of a hospital in Bursa

The aim of this study is to examine the difference in resistance to change among nurses based on gender. Resistance to change includes behaviors of opposing innovations and changes. Since the healthcare sector is constantly undergoing innovations and transformations, the resistance behaviors of nurses, their causes, and their consequences are important. Change is an inevitable necessity. In hospitals, continuous development and change occur in systems, technology, work processes, and medical equipment. In this process, managers can benefit from change models. In this study, the Resistance to Change Scale developed by Oreg (2006) and adapted into Turkish by Çalışkan (2019) was used. The scale was administered to nurses working in a hospital in Bursa. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. Descriptive statistics, Levene's test, independent samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA were conducted, and post-hoc analyses were performed for significant cases. The reliability of the Resistance to Change Scale was evaluated using Cronbach's Alpha, and a high level of reliability was obtained (α = .806). To test the construct validity of the scale, factor analysis was performed; the KMO value was .849 and Bartlett's test was found to be significant, indicating that the data were suitable for factor analysis. According to the analysis of the gender variable, no significant difference was found in the resistance to change levels of nurses. As a result of the analyses, it was found that gender, marital status, educational level, years of experience, and department had no significant effect on resistance to change. Although no significant effect of the age variable was found among male nurses, a significant difference was identified in the levels of resistance to change between female nurses aged 26–40 and those aged 41–64. There are studies in the literature that support these findings. It is thought that the intense responsibilities of women in both professional and personal life may play a role in this situation. The findings of the study revealed the importance of considering female nurses aged 26–40 and 41–64.