Impact of work environment perceptions and communication satisfaction on the intention to quit: an empirical analysis of nurses in Saudi Arabia

Abdulaziz M Alsufyani; Khalid E Almalki; Yasir M Alsufyani; Sayer M Aljuaid; Abeer M Almutairi; Bandar O Alsufyani; Abdullah S Alshahrani; Omar G Baker; Ahmad Aboshaiqah

doi:10.7717/peerj.10949

Impact of work environment perceptions and communication satisfaction on the intention to quit: an empirical analysis of nurses in Saudi Arabia

PeerJ. 2021 Mar 17:9:e10949. doi: 10.7717/peerj.10949. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Abdulaziz M Alsufyani^{1

2}, Khalid E Almalki³, Yasir M Alsufyani⁴, Sayer M Aljuaid², Abeer M Almutairi⁵, Bandar O Alsufyani⁶, Abdullah S Alshahrani⁷, Omar G Baker¹, Ahmad Aboshaiqah¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Nursing, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
² Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
³ Primary Health Care Center, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ College of Nursing, King Khaled University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Ministry of Health, Buridah, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Ministry of Health, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Ahad Rufidah Hospital, Ministry of Health, Asser Region, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Objective: In consideration of the current nursing shortage in Saudi Arabia, we aimed to investigate the association among perceptions of work environment, communication satisfaction, and intentions to quit nursing profession among nurses. In addition, we aimed to investigate the mediating effect of communication satisfaction on the association between nurses' perception of work environment and their intentions to quit nursing profession.

Methods: This predictive correlational study was conducted at one of the major hospitals in Saudi Arabia from January 2020 to March 2020. It included a convenience sample of 367 full-time registered nurses who completed three types of close-ended questionnaires. We used IBM SPSS version 24.0 to analyze the collected data. Regression analyses were used to test the study's hypotheses. All regression assumptions were assessed and confirmed. Significance for all tests was set at p ≤ .05.

Results: The findings indicated an affirmative association between work environment perception and communication satisfaction (b = .764, p < .05) among nurses. In addition, findings showed that work environment perception (b = -.187, p < .05) and communication satisfaction (b = -.226, p < .05) have negative impacts on the nurses' intentions to quit; indicating that as work environment perception or communication satisfaction increases, the intention to quit decreases among nurses. Further, a mediation effect of communication satisfaction on the relationship between work environment perception and intention to quit was confirmed.

Conclusion: This study presents a novel conceptual framework developed based on the literature about the predisposing factors for nurses' intentions to quit nursing profession. Our results suggest that work environment perception and communication satisfaction among the most contributing factors for nurses resignation. Effective communication was established as a crucial factor for establishing attractive and healthy working environment. Nursing managers can benefit by applying these findings to develop appropriate strategies to inhibit the shortage of nurses in Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: Nurses; Communication Satisfaction; Intention to Quit; Work Environment.

Grants and funding

This study was funded and supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia through Research Group No. RG-1436017. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.