This study, conducted from October 2022 to January 2023, assesses job satisfaction and retention factors among nurses in Bavaria, Germany. Using an online survey, 2572 nurses were surveyed, and a multivariable regression analysis was employed to identify key influence factors on nursing retention. The study found that 43.2% of nurses were not committed to staying in the profession over the next 12 months. Dissatisfaction was high regarding time for direct patient care, service organization, documentation, codetermination, and payment. Qualitative data revealed the need for improvements in these areas. Factors influencing retention included older age, living alone, working in elder care, satisfactory working hours, career choice, career opportunities, payment, and adequate working and rest times. Conversely, dissatisfaction in supporting people made nurses more likely to leave. The study highlights a dichotomy where nurses have strong empathy for their profession but yearn for improvements due to unmet expectations. Policy implications should focus on measures for younger nurses and those in elderly care, while further research is needed to address potential biases from convenience sampling and the impact of digitalization.This study, conducted from October 2022 to January 2023, assesses job satisfaction and retention factors among nurses in Bavaria, Germany. Using an online survey, 2572 nurses were surveyed, and a multivariable regression analysis was employed to identify key influence factors on nursing retention. The study found that 43.2% of nurses were not committed to staying in the profession over the next 12 months. Dissatisfaction was high regarding time for direct patient care, service organization, documentation, codetermination, and payment. Qualitative data revealed the need for improvements in these areas. Factors influencing retention included older age, living alone, working in elder care, satisfactory working hours, career choice, career opportunities, payment, and adequate working and rest times. Conversely, dissatisfaction in supporting people made nurses more likely to leave. The study highlights a dichotomy where nurses have strong empathy for their profession but yearn for improvements due to unmet expectations. Policy implications should focus on measures for younger nurses and those in elderly care, while further research is needed to address potential biases from convenience sampling and the impact of digitalization.