Associations between key job resources, job demands, and affective organizational commitment among nursing professionals in German hospitals: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Hospitals in industrialized countries like Germany face persistent shortages of nursing professionals, making staff retention through affective organizational commitment essential. However, factors associated with this commitment among nursing professionals in German hospitals remain understudied. Guided by affective events theory and the job demands-resources model, this study examines the associations between key job resources, job demands, and nursing professionals' affective organizational commitment in general wards.

METHODS

To investigate the relationships between job resources and demands and affective organizational commitment of nursing professionals, this study employed a cross-sectional survey. The dataset for analyses comprised 312 nursing professionals working in general wards in Germany and was analyzed using multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

The investigated variables explained 44% of the variance in nursing professionals' affective organizational commitment. Fair and authentic management was positively associated with affective commitment, while work overload and inadequate remuneration showed negative associations. No significant relationships emerged for other examined job resources, such as supervisor support or job autonomy, or for job demands like work-life interference.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings align with theoretical perspectives suggesting that specific job resources and demands may play a role in nursing professionals' affective organizational commitment. Based on the observed associations between job resources and demands and affective organizational commitment, this study offers considerations for hospital management. Three areas might warrant management attention: cultivating fair, authentic, and moral leadership practices among nurse managers; systematically mitigating work overload; and ensuring attractive remuneration packages. Future research, particularly longitudinal or experimental studies, is needed to further investigate the causal relationships underlying the observed associations.