Effects of Job Esteem and Positive Psychological Capital on Nurses' Intention to Stay: The Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment
10.22650/JKCNR.2026.32.1.12
- Author:
Min Seon JANG
1
;
Rhayun SONG
Author Information
1. Department of Nursing, Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital
- From:
Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
2026;32(1):12-22
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Purpose:This study aimed to examine the effects of nurses' job esteem and positive psychological capital on their intention to stay and to investigate the mediating effect of organizational commitment in these relationships.
Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 107 nurses employed at two general hospitals in Daejeon and Sejong, South Korea, between March and June 2023. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficients, hierarchical multiple regression, and PROCESS macro (Model 4) with bootstrapping.
Results:Nurses' intention to stay was positively correlated with job esteem (r=.52, p<.001), positive psychological capital (r=.47, p<.001), and organizational commitment (r=.60, p<.001). After controlling for gender and total clinical experience, job esteem, positive psychological capital, and organizational commitment explained 48.0% of the adjusted variance in intention to stay (adjusted R2 =.48), with organizational commitment being the strongest predictor. Mediation analysis showed that job esteem had a significant indirect effect on intention to stay through organizational commitment, while its direct effect was not significant, indicating full mediation. In contrast, positive psychological capital did not show a significant indirect effect through organizational commitment but had a significant direct effect on intention to stay.
Conclusion:These findings suggest that job esteem influences intention to stay primarily through organizational commitment, whereas positive psychological capital exerts a direct effect. Therefore, nurse retention strategies should prioritize organizational interventions that strengthen organizational commitment, along with efforts to enhance job esteem.
