The quality of work life and turnover intentions among Malaysian nurses: the mediating role of organizational commitment

Abstract

Background: Understanding the factors influencing nurses' turnover intention, particularly the work life quality and commitment to organization, is important to all countries suffering from nursing shortage. The study aims to determine the mediating role of commitment to organization on work life quality and its relationship with turnover intention among Malaysian nurses. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design, using a self-report survey was conducted on 430 nurses from a teaching hospital from February to April 2019. A structural equation model version 3 was used for testing study hypotheses. Results: The mediating effect (indirect effect) of organizational commitment on the relationship between work life quality and turnover intention (QWL→OC→IT) was negative with path coefficient − 0.234, whereas the direct effect of work life quality on turnover intention (QWL→IT) was negative with smaller path coefficient − 0.228. This means that the relationship between work life quality and turnover intention was partially mediated by the organizational commitment (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Organizational commitment has a negative partial mediating effect between work life quality of nurses and intention of turnover in teaching hospitals where the organizational commitment significantly reduced the nurses' intention to leave. The study findings can guide nursing managers to be carefully attended to the levels of nurses' commitment to their organization.

Quality of Work Life and Work Process of Assistance Nurses

“…Concerning marital status, 58% were single [8], 47% single [28], 53% were married [22], 57% married [4], 73% married [27], 71% were married [9], were married, and only 23% were single [21], 66% were married or in a relationship and 68% had children [25], 57,1% reported living with a partner [20]. Regarding children, 62% had no children [22], 6% were pregnant, 13% were breastfeeding, and 8% had children under two years of age, while approximately half of 51.83% had responsibilities for the care of the elderly [9].…”

“…In various studies on nursing care work, the majority were women, Mexico 95,7% [20], Saudi Arabia 95% [21], China 94% [9], Malaysia 93% [22], Tehran Iran 90% [23], Kashan Iran 83% [24], Brasil 83% females [25], Chile 83% [26], Irak 73% [4], Libano 60% [27]. In contrast, in Ethiopia, 51% were men [8].…”

“…Regarding the average age of 30 years [8], 31 years [4,22], were 35 years old or younger [21], Copiapó Chile between 20 and 30 years [28], age between 20 and 55 years [9], mean age 39 years [5,20], mean age 33 years [24], mean age 41 years (22-64 mean age was 33 years [26].…”

“…Regarding work experience, 85% with less than six years of experience [22], 41% with less than five years of work experience [23], seven years within the institution [4], and 85% had three or more years of work experience [9], average seniority of 5 years in the position [26], 36% presented from 1 to 4 years in the place [25]. In addition, 96% had a diploma degree [22], graduates [23], 88% graduates [4], 87% had a bachelor's degree or higher [9], 71% had a Baccalaureate degree [27], 40% had a degree [28], 73% were graduates, and 27% graduated [21].…”

“…Organizational commitment has a partial negative mediator between nurses' QWL and intention to change [22]. Managers can improve the QWL by providing opportunities for growth and development of staff skills, providing conditions for greater employee engagement, promoting teamwork, planning fair and equitable pay [23].…”