AbstractAimTo examine the main effects and interaction effects of outcome expectations (e.g., anticipated satisfactory salary and benefits), nurse identity (a sense of membership in the nursing profession), and information‐access efficiency of the electronic medical record system (how the system enables nurses to quickly retrieve the needed information) on nurses' retention.DesignThis study uses a cross‐sectional survey and adopts proportionate random sampling to recruit a representative sample of nurses of a medical centre in Taiwan.MethodsThis study successfully obtained completed questionnaires from 430 nurses during December 2021 to January 2022. Data are analysed by using hierarchical regressions.ResultsPositive outcome expectations and identification as a member in the nursing profession are associated with retention. Information‐access efficiency strengthens the link between outcome expectations and retention, while nurse identity weakens this link.ConclusionOutcome expectations can help retain nurses, particularly those who perceive high levels of information‐access efficiency and possess weak nurse identity. That is, outcome expectations have a complementary role with nurse identity in retaining nurses.Implications for the ProfessionNurse managers should devise means to build positive outcome expectations for nurses. In addition, either strengthening nurses' identification with the nursing profession or improving the information‐access efficiency of the electronic medical system may also help retain nurses.ImpactThis study examined how to transform outcome expectation to nurse retention, offering nurse managers to devise new means to retain nurses.Reporting MethodSTROBE statement was chosen as EQUATOR checklist.Patient or Public ContributionNo patient or public contribution.