A study on work engagement among nurses in Japan: the relationship to job-demands, job-resources, and nursing competence

Abstract

Objective: This study reviewed the state of work engagement among nurses in Japan, and the relationship to job demands and job resources. Additionally, our research attempted to clarify the role of work engagement on the effects that job-resources have on nursing competence. Methods: A questionnaire composed of the Utrecht Work-Engagement Scale the Brief Scales for Job Stress-Nurse and the Clinical Nursing Competence Self-Assessment Scale was distributed to 917 nurses working in hospitals in Japan. Results: A negative correlation, although slight, was found between job-demands and work engagement. There was a positive correlation between job-resources and work engagement, however, work engagement was only found to be significantly affected by job fulfillment. Work engagement seems to mediate the relationship between job-resources and job-demands however the results from the path analysis did not fully support this model. Conclusions: Our study did not sufficiently explain the relationships between variables. It can be suggested that the correlations between job-resources, job-demands, and work engagement are bidirectional or circulatory, rather than unidirectional.