Role of Career Satisfaction in Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Career Commitment of Nurses in Nigeria: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test how basic psychological needs satisfaction contributes to career commitment through career satisfaction among nurses. There is an increasing rate of turnover among nurses and a general shortage of nurses in many countries. This has made it necessary for researchers to focus on the career satisfaction of nurses and their commitment to their careers. A cross-sectional design was employed in a survey of 233 nurses in public hospitals in southeastern Nigeria. Participants responded to self-report measures of career commitment, career satisfaction, and work-related basic needs satisfaction. In the regression-based path analysis, basic psychological needs satisfaction was positively related to career satisfaction (p < .001) and career commitment (p < .001) of nurses. Career satisfaction was positively related to career commitment (p < .05). Career satisfaction mediated the relationship between basic psychological needs satisfaction and career commitment (95% confidence interval [.009, .068]). The results show that basic psychological needs are relevant for employee commitment, giving support to the self-determination theory. Career satisfaction provides further explanations for the relationship between psychological needs satisfaction and career commitment, although there could be reverse causal links. The results advance knowledge on how satisfaction of basic psychological needs can increase career satisfaction and foster more career commitment. Designing work environments that help employees to fulfil their basic psychological needs is important in the retention of nurses.