ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Organizational commitment, defined in nursing as the degree to which nurses identify with the goals and direction of their hospital, affects the willingness of nurses to participate actively in work tasks. PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore the predictive value of demographic variables, perceived work stress, and job satisfaction with regard to organizational commitment in nurses. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used an internet survey that included the Stress Scale on COVID-19 Patient Care, McCloskey/Mueller Satisfaction Scale, and Organizational Commitment Scale to collect data from 189 nurses at a hospital in southern Taiwan. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS/Window 22.0. RESULTS: Societal support and job satisfaction were identified as the most significant predictors of organizational commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic, explaining 47% of the total variance in organizational commitment (F [17, 171] = 8.79, p < .001). Level of perceived work stress averaged 48.3 (SD = 15.4), which is slightly higher than the median, and was highest among the participants who were married and had young children. The stress was mainly associated with social isolation. Those participants with a bachelor's degree or higher, a monthly income >NT$70,000, or with children reported relatively higher levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results provide a valuable guide to hospital management. To strengthen the organizational commitment and work dedication of nurses and to minimize pandemic-related staff attrition hospital management should work to ensure their nurses receive sufficient societal support and are satisfied with their jobs.