Professional Values, Work Environment and Job Satisfaction of Critical Care Nurses in Palestine

Professional values, work environment and job satisfaction of critical care nurses in Palestine

This descriptive cross-sectional study examined the relationships among professional values, perceived work environment, and job satisfaction in critical care nurses working in the West Bank, Palestine. The investigation aimed to identify predictors of job satisfaction and pathways through which professional values, workload, and the work environment relate to nurses' intention to leave.

Study design, sample and setting

The study enrolled 263 nurses employed in critical care units across 15 hospitals in the West Bank. A convenience sampling approach was used and the reported response rate was 87.7%. Job satisfaction was specified as the primary dependent variable. The author affiliation is Faculty of Nursing, Arab American University, Jenin, Palestine.

Primary measures and data analysis

Measures reported in the source included assessments of professional values, perceptions of the work environment, job satisfaction, workload, and intention to leave. Descriptive statistics characterized mean scores and variability. Multiple linear regression was applied to identify predictors of job satisfaction, and mediation analyses were used to test indirect associations among variables. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 26.0.

Key quantitative findings: scores and predictive model

Reported mean scores (with standard deviations) were:

• Professional values: 116.25 ± 9.55
• Perceived work environment: 2.42 ± 0.30
• Job satisfaction: 89.17 ± 10.57

In the multiple linear regression model, the work environment was the strongest positive predictor of job satisfaction (β = 0.576, p < 0.001). Two factors were identified as negative predictors: workload (β = -0.166, p = 0.021) and intention to leave (β = -0.163, p < 0.001). The model accounted for 47.4% of the variance in job satisfaction.

Mediation analyses and indirect associations

Mediation analyses reported several significant indirect associations:

• There was a statistically significant indirect association between professional values and job satisfaction through the perceived work environment (B = 0.152).

• The work environment was indirectly associated with intention to leave via job satisfaction (B = -0.533), indicating that better work environment perceptions were associated with higher job satisfaction and, in turn, lower intention to leave.

• Workload demonstrated an indirect association with intention to leave through job satisfaction (B = 0.082). All reported mediation effects were noted as statistically significant (p < 0.001).

Conclusions and implications for critical care management

The author concluded that professional values relate to job satisfaction indirectly by shaping perceptions of the work environment. High workload and stronger expressed intention to leave were associated with lower job satisfaction. The findings emphasize that the organizational and unit-level environment mediates how professional values affect nurses' satisfaction and retention-related attitudes.

Relevance to clinical practice and recommendations

Based on the reported results, the study highlights interventions and management practices that may support nurse retention and safer critical care delivery. Suggested areas to address include:

• Ensuring adequate staffing and appropriate nurse–patient ratios to reduce workload.
• Monitoring workload regularly and implementing workload-management strategies.
• Promoting collaborative, well-resourced, and supportive unit environments to strengthen the work environment.
• Involving nurses in unit-level decision-making and shared governance structures.
• Providing recognition and supportive leadership to reinforce professional practice and satisfaction.

These measures are presented in the source as relevant steps for Nurse Managers to support retention and stable intensive care practice.

Limitations and declarations

The source reports the study design as descriptive and cross-sectional, with convenience sampling. Details beyond those provided in the abstract (for example, specific instruments, subscale definitions, temporal data collection window, or response bias assessments) were not reported in the source text provided here. The author declared no conflicts of interest and noted that there was no patient or public contribution to the study.