Path Analysis for Workplace Incivility, Empowerment, Burnout, and Organizational Commitment of Hospital Nurses

Kim, Se Young; Kim, Jong Kyung; Park, Kwang Ok

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine nurses' experience of workplace incivility from coworkers, supervisors, patients or patients' families, and doctors. The researcher identified the relationships among empowerment, burnout, and organizational commitment of hospital nurses.
METHODS
The sample included 415 hospital nurses. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS and AMOS.
RESULTS
The average incivility score was 2.94 from doctors and 2.89 from patients or patients' families, higher than from supervisors (1.90) and coworkers (1.87). The variables affecting burnout included direct effect of empowerment (beta=-.46, p<.001), direct effect of patients or patients' family incivility (beta=.14, p<.001), direct effect of supervisor incivility (beta=.12, p<.001), and direct effect of doctor incivility (beta=.09, p<.001). The variables affecting organizational commitment were direct effect of burnout (beta=-.58, p<.001), indirect effect of empowerment (beta=-.23, p<.001), indirect effect of patients or patients' family incivility (beta=-.12, p<.001), indirect effect of supervisor incivility (beta=-.10, p<.001), and indirect effect of doctor incivility (beta=-.09, p<.001).
CONCLUSION
The results indicate that incivility affecting nurses results in a high degree of burnout and a low degree of organizational commitment. Therefore, it is necessary to assess incivility cases and to hold workshops designed to curb incivility and establish healthy workplaces.