Organisational and individual resources as antecedents of older nursing professionals' organisational commitment: Investigating the mediating effect of the use of selection, optimisation and compensation strategies

Aim and objectives: To investigate how organisational and individual resources are linked to older (50+) nursing professionals' organisational commitment, and to examine the possible mediating role of the active use of selection, optimisation and compensation (SOC) strategies.

Background: Many healthcare organisations need to find ways to retain their older nursing professionals due to nursing shortage.

Design: To test a set of hypotheses, cross-sectional survey data (n = 396) were used. Data were analysed using correlation analysis and partial least-squares structural equation modelling. STROBE Statement for cross-sectional studies has been followed in this study.

Results: The results exhibited that both individual and organisational resources and the active use of SOC strategies were positively associated with older nursing professionals' organisational commitment. The active use of SOC strategies had a partially mediating role in the relationship between individual resource (career management self-efficacy) and organisational commitment. Similarly, career management self-efficacy partially mediated the association between organisational resources (perceived high-involvement work practices) and organisational commitment.

Conclusions: Regarding the retention of older nursing professionals, attention should be paid to both individual and organisational resources and the active use of SOC strategies.

Relevance for clinical practice: By providing opportunities to actively use SOC strategies and by paying attention to career management self-efficacy among older nursing professionals, nursing managers may influence the retention of the older nursing workforce. Similarly, supportive organisational practices can support older nursing professionals' career management self-efficacy and their organisational commitment.