The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction in the Relationship Between Perceived Organizational Support and Nurses'...

Investigating the factors that influence nurses' turnover intention (TI) is crucial for maintaining a sustainable and efficient nursing workforce. While previous studies have explored the relationship between TI, perceived organizational support (POS), and job satisfaction (JS), few have examined the mediating effect of JS in this relationship.

To assess nurses' TI and its relationship with POS and JS, as well as the mediating role of JS.

A cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational research design was used. A convenience sample of 141 nurses was recruited from two hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a web-based survey that included the Perceived Organizational Support Survey and the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention Subscales.

The participants had moderate TI (M = 10.22, SD ± 3.41), with 46.1% reporting a high level. TI was negatively correlated with POS (r = -0.393, p < 0.001) and JS (r = -0.453, p < 0.001). Both variables significantly predicted TI (F [2.138] = 21.98, R² = 0.231, p < 0.001), explaining a moderate proportion of its variance. A bootstrap test showed that JS had a partial mediating effect on the impact of POS on TI (B = - 0.09, SE = 0.03, 95% bootstrap CI [-0.14, -0.04]). The proportion mediated was 0.45, p  < 0.001, indicating that approximately 45% of the total effect of POS on TI operated indirectly through JS.

Nurse leaders and policymakers should prioritize enhancing nurses' JS as a critical strategy in nursing retention, as it may not only directly reduce TI but also indirectly strengthen the effect of POS on TI.