Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between organizational socialization and intention to leave, and to identify factors affecting operating room nurses' intention to leave. Methods: A descriptive design was used for this study. Seventy operating room nurses recruited from three hospitals using the same management style, in-service educational system, and working conditions. The nurses agreed to participate in this study and completed self-administered questionnaires on organizational socialization and intention to leave. Respondents were classified by career as advanced beginner, competent practitioner, proficient practitioner and expert practitioner by Benner's stages of nursing proficiency. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA with multiple comparisons, Spearman correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Nurses unsatisfied with the current in-service continuous education had lower organizational socialization and higher intention to leave. In advanced beginners, job performance was lowest and organizational commitment was highest. In expert practitioners, intention to leave was highest. Organizational commitment, interpersonal relationship, identity and burnout were associated with intention to leave. Mutual trust, burnout, and interpersonal relationship were predictors of intention to leave and explained 20.8% of variance. Conclusion: The career ladder program to enhance nurses' organizational socialization and intention to stay should be established and expanded to retain well-experienced operating room nurses.