Supportive Supervision and Staff Intent to Turn Over in Long-Term Care Homes

To examine the association between supervisory support and intent to turn over among personal support workers (PSWs) employed in long-term care (LTC) homes in Ontario, Canada, by assessing whether the association is mediated by job satisfaction and the potential confounding effect of happiness.

Cross-sectional survey data of 5,645 PSWs working within 398 LTC homes in Ontario, Canada, were obtained and analysed through a series of multilevel regression models.

Overall, analyses support the assertion that the effect of supervisory support on intent to turn over is partially mediated by job satisfaction. However, happiness may act as an effect modifier rather than as a confounder.

These results reinforce the importance of supportive supervision for PSWs working in LTC homes and highlight the multifaceted role of nurses in LTC, who traditionally provide the majority of PSW supervision. Nurses must be equipped with competencies and skills that reflect the complex organisational environments in which they work. However, these results must also be interpreted in context with the limitations of cross-sectional data; future research should incorporate prospective data collection and clarify the potential role of happiness.