The Mediating Role of Job Rotation Between Clinical Leadership Skills and Clinical Decision-Making Among Jordanian...

Nurses in resource-limited settings like Jordan require strong leadership and clinical judgment. Job rotation is believed to improve adaptability and self-efficacy, but its effect on clinical decision-making is unclear.

This study aimed to examine whether job rotation mediates the relationship between clinical leadership skills and clinical decision-making among nurses.

A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted among 395 registered nurses employed in Jordanian governmental hospitals. Participants were recruited using a proportional random sampling technique. Data were collected using validated questionnaires assessing clinical leadership skills, job rotation, and clinical decision-making. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and regression analysis, were performed to examine relationships among the study variables. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was additionally used to assess mediation effects.

The results showed significant differences between clinical decision-making and gender, marital status, and educational level. Clinical leadership significantly predicted decision-making (β = 0.433, 95% CI [0.331, 0.535], t = 8.226, p < 0.001). In contrast, job rotation indicated no significant direct effect (β = 0.000, 95% CI [-0.052, 0.051], t = -0.010, p = 0.992) and did not mediate the relationship between leadership and decision-making (β = 0.008, 95% CI [-0.041, 0.057], t = 0.325, p = 0.745).

Leadership skills were significantly associated with nurses' clinical decision-making, and leadership development may play a more substantial role in clinical decision-making than job rotation within this sample.

Job rotation implementation has to be intentional, by putting real effort into structured training, mentoring, and embedding workplace learning into daily routines, which improves decision-making quality, increases professional confidence, and ultimately enhances patient outcomes.