Factors affecting nurses' professional commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim This study aims to investigate the factors affecting nurses' professional commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Background Commitment to a profession requires doing the best for that profession. In the case of the nursing profession, professional commitment gains greater importance in times of crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with 389 nurses in the Turkish state hospital. Institutional permissions, ethical approval and written consents from the participants were obtained before carrying out the study. Results The participants' mean Perceived Organizational Obstruction Scale score was 20.07 +/- 8.06 (min = 5.0, max = 35.0), and their mean Nursing Professional Commitment Scale score was 71.20 +/- 11.94 (min = 30.0, max = 103.0). Socio-demographic variables and perception of organisational obstruction predicted 36.7% of the variance in the professional commitment (p < .001). Conclusion A road map based on the study results was developed for hospitals and nurse managers to maintain and increase nurses' professional commitment. Implications for Nursing Management The results of this study may help institutions and nurse managers understand the factors affecting professional commitment during the pandemic as a whole, as well as determine primary strategies based on the importance of these factors.