Influence of the Nursing Work Environment on Job Satisfaction in Male Nurses: The Mediating Effect of Social Support

Background: Although the proportion of male nurses in the nursing profession has risen in recent years, their turnover rate remains higher than their female counterparts. Male nurses tend to report lower levels of job satisfaction. However, there has been a dearth of research examining the relation among perceptions of work environment, social support, and job satisfaction in male nurses. Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the associations among work environment, social support, and job satisfaction in male nurses in Korea. In addition, the potential mediating effect of social support on the relationship between work environment and job satisfaction was explored. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed to investigate the research questions. The study was conducted in a metropolitan area in South Korea, and self-administered questionnaires were distributed to participants. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was utilized to explore the potential associations among work environment, social support, and job satisfaction. Results: Work environment was found to correlate positively with job satisfaction (r = .53, p < .001) and social support (r = .57, p < .001) in the participants, whereas a positive correlation was also found between social support and job satisfaction (r = .57, p < .001). Social support was shown to partly mediate the relationship between work environment and job satisfaction. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that social support partially mediates the relationship between work environment and job satisfaction in male nurses as well as confirm the importance of both work environment and social support as factors that can positively influence job satisfaction in this group.