Perceived organisational support, organisational commitment and self-competence among nurses: a study in two Italian hospitals

Aim This study examined the contributions of perceived organisational support (POS) and organisational commitment (i.e. affective, continuance and normative) to self‐competence among nurses. Background In high‐POS environments, workers benefit from socio‐emotional resources to improve their skills, while positive forms of commitment (e.g. affective commitment) create a fertile context for developing one's competencies. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted among the nursing staff of two Italian urban hospitals (hospital A, n = 160; hospital B, n = 192). A structured questionnaire was administered individually to the nurses. Data analysis was conducted through multi‐group analysis and supplemented by a bootstrapping approach. Results The results showed that POS was positively related to self‐competence through affective commitment. In contrast, continuance and normative commitment did not mediate this relationship. Conclusions This study shows that supporting employees through caring about their well‐being as well as fostering positive forms of organisational commitment increases nurses' self‐competence. Implications for nursing management Nurse managers may increase support perceptions and commitment among their staff by rewarding their contributions and caring about their well‐being, as well as concentrating on training strategies that improve work‐related skills.