Nurses’ professional competency and organizational commitment: Is it important for human resource management?

Abstract

BackgroundProfessional competency is a fundamental concept in nursing, which has a direct relationship with quality improvement of patient care and public health. Organizational commitment as a kind of affective attachment or sense of loyalty to the organization is an effective factor for professional competency.ObjectiveThis study was conducted to evaluate the nurses´ professional competency and their organizational commitment as well as the relationship between these two concepts.Methods and materialsThis descriptive-analytic study was conducted at the hospitals affiliated with a University of Medical Sciences, in the southeast of Iran in 2016. The sample included 230 nurses who were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were gathered by three questionnaires including socio-demographic information, competency inventory for registered nurse (CIRN) and Allen Meyer's organizational commitment.ResultsResults showed that professional competency (Mean±SD: 2.82±0.53, range: 1.56–4.00) and organizational commitment (Mean±SD: 72.80±4.95, range: 58–81) of the nurses were at moderate levels. There was no statistically significant correlation between professional competency and organizational commitment (ρ = 0.02; p = 0.74). There were significant differences in professional competency based on marital status (p = 0.03) and work experience (p<0.001).ConclusionThe results highlighted that the nurses needed to be more competent and committed to their organizations. Developing professional competency and organizational commitment is vital, but not easy. This study suggests that human resource managers should pursue appropriate strategies to enhance the professional competency and organizational commitment of their nursing staff. It is necessary to conduct more comprehensive studies for exploring the status and gaps in the human resource management of healthcare in different cultures and contexts.

Organizational commitment, psychometric qualities and invariance of the Meyer and Allen Questionnaire for Portuguese Nurses

“…It influences satisfaction, performance, productivity and professional investment, as well as turnover, with a strong impact on organizational behavior 2 - 6 .…”

“…It is also a variable that determines intention to quit, professional performance and organizational success 6 , 13 .…”

“…However, the socio-economic context of recent years has led to the need for cost containment, with an impact on the effective management of resources, particularly human resources. Thus, organizational and legislative changes have been necessary, which influenced the relationships of health professionals with organizations, with subsequent impact on motivation, organizational commitment, and on the quality of health care 6 , 11 - 12 , 14 - 16 .…”

“…In Portugal, the ratio of nurses (6.58 nurses/1,000 inhabitants) is very low compared to the average of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (9.16 nurses/1,000 inhabitants), with the majority concentrated in hospital care. However, the high level of training of Portuguese nurses must be highlighted, considering that most have a bachelor’s degree (4 years undergraduate course) and 22.53% have the title of specialist nurse (variable training time between 18 and 24 months) 6 , 12 , 14 - 15 , 17 . …”

“…It is also determinant for commitment with the patient and for the development of positive behaviors, minimizing negative aspects such as conflicts and professional exhaustion and having an impact on the quality of nursing care and on patient satisfaction 6 , 9 , 12 , 18 - 19 .…”