[Nursing staff turnover: a study at a school-hospital]

The goal of this exploratory-descriptive study was to measure and compare nursing staff turnover levels at the University Hospital of São Paulo University. The population consisted of 255 nursing workers - 78 nurses, 20 technicians and 156 auxiliaries - who resigned from the hospital between 1997 and 2000. Turnover levels were measured by means of global indicators, admission and resignation, net replacement on the job and variation rates. Quantitative data analysis indicated a low nursing staff turnover rate at this hospital.