Perceived Organizational Support, Trauma-Informed Care, and Caring Behaviors: A Quantitative Study Among Nurses

The aim of this study is to examine the interaction between perceived organizational support, trauma-informed care attitudes, and caring behaviors among nurses.

Caring behaviors are essential to nursing care quality and are influenced by both individual and organizational factors. Trauma-informed care promotes safe, patient-centered practices, while perceived organizational support enhances nurses' performance and well-being. However, their combined effect on caring behaviors remains unclear.

This cross-sectional study was conducted with 266 nurses working in a university hospital. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form, the Caring Behaviors Inventory-24 (CBI-24), the Trauma-Informed Care Scale (TICS), and the Perceived Organizational Support Scale (POSS).

Nurses demonstrated high levels of caring behaviors (CBI-24 = 5.29 ± 0.60), trauma-informed care (TICS = 53.51 ± 7.34), and perceived organizational support (POSS = 27.95 ± 5.76). Female nurses had significantly higher caring behavior scores than males (p = 0.018), and nurses who received trauma-informed care training scored higher on caring behaviors, trauma-informed care, and perceived organizational support (p < 0.05). Significant positive correlations were found between caring behaviors, trauma-informed care, and perceived organizational support (p < 0.05).

Nurses' caring behaviors are positively influenced by both trauma-informed care and perceived organizational support. Trauma-informed care emerged as the strongest predictor, indicating that caring behaviors are shaped not only by technical competencies but also by sensitivity to patients' psychosocial needs and safety.

The findings underscore the important role of nursing leadership in creating organizational conditions that support both trauma-informed care and caring practice. Nursing leaders may facilitate this process by embedding trauma-informed principles into professional development, cultivating responsive and supportive leadership practices, promoting equitable workload allocation, and establishing effective channels of communication.