A Causal Model of Work Engagement Among Nursing Managers and Staff for Long-Term Care Beds

Abstract

Objective: To determine the causal process of work engagement among nurses for long-term care beds according to nursing managers and staffs.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted with 1,786 nurses involved in long-term care beds in the Tohoku district. With 1,269 valid responses, verification of the causal model and multi-group analysis were performed using structural equation modeling.

Results: The process model in which personal resources and job resources were the antecedent factors, work engagement was the mediating factor, and mental and physical health and work performance were the outcomes was verified. This process differentiated between nursing managers and staff. For nursing staff, the process from antecedents to outcomes had a direct effect and an indirect effect that mediated work engagement. On the other hand, the outcomes of nursing managers were directly affected by antecedent factors.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that managers need to recognize that there are differences between positions in the processes that affect physical and mental health and work performance; managers responsible for nursing management need to support job resources and demands.