Organizational Trust, Psychological Empowerment, and Organizational Commitment Among Licensed Practical Nurses

In this study, we examine the influence of organizational trust on organizational commitment among licensed practical nurses (LPNs). Guided by prior research and theory, we also consider whether psychological empowerment mediates the influence of organizational trust on organizational commitment. To accomplish these tasks, we examine data from our survey of all registered LPNs in a Midwestern US state on their levels of organizational trust, psychological empowerment, and organizational commitment. Using path decomposition procedures, we isolate the net effect of organizational trust on organizational commitment into total, direct, and indirect effects. Our findings suggest that organizational trust is positively associated with higher levels of organizational commitment. Furthermore, more than a fifth of this relationship is mediated through one's level of psychological empowerment. These findings provide some insight into antecedents of organizational commitment among LPNs. The results of this investigation are especially timely considering the extant issues associated with staffing levels in facilities employing LPNs in the United States.