Organizational Justice and Job Satisfaction in Nurses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Fairness in the workplace, conceptualized in research as organizational justice, reflects the perception that responsibilities and corresponding rewards are distributed equitably. In nursing, organizational justice is a key precursor to higher job satisfaction, improved patient care, and reduced turnover intentions. These outcomes are especially vital given the ongoing global nursing shortage.

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the correlation between nurses' perceptions of organizational justice and job satisfaction, and examined whether this relationship is moderated by country context or study methodological quality.

Following the PRISMA guidelines, eight databases were searched from April through August 2023. Quantitative, cross-sectional studies examining nurses' perceptions of organizational justice and job satisfaction were included; qualitative and interventional studies were excluded. Data were screened and meta-analyses and meta-regressions were conducted to pool and evaluate correlation coefficients and moderating factors.

Seventeen cross-sectional studies (with a total of 4,128 nurses) met the inclusion criteria. A statistically significant, moderate positive correlation was observed between organizational justice and job satisfaction (r = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.43-0.56; P < 0.001). This relationship varied across country contexts, but was not moderated by study methodological quality.

Nurses' job satisfaction was found to be moderately and positively associated with organizational justice. While cross-sectional data do not support causal inferences, fostering organizational justice represents a strategy health organizations can use to enhance nurses' well-being, nurse retention, and patient care.