The Relationship between Career Plateau and Organizational Commitment and Social Capital among Nurses in Birjand University of Medical Sciences

Nurses play a vital role in the healthcare system. Moreover, their commitment and loyalty are keys to achieve organizational goals. The aim of this study is to determine the level of job burnout, organizational commitment, social capital, and their relationship in the work environment of nurses.

Methods and Materials: 

This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study has been performed among 215 employed nurses at Razi, Imam Reza, and Valiasr hospitals affiliated with Birjand University of Medical Sciences in 2019. Random sampling method was used to select the nurses and questionnaires were completed through self-report. Standard questionnaires were used to collect the data, including the job burnout scale (Mylymn, 1992), organizational commitment scale (Meyer & Allen, 1990), and workplace social capital scale (Kouvonen). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 19.

This study demonstrated that individuals with more than 10 years of work experience had higher organizational commitment scores compared to others (p = 0.04). Social capital was higher in the age group of 22 to 30 years compared to other older age groups (p = 0.03). There was an inverse relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment (p = 0.03, r = -0.24). However, a positive relationship existed between job satisfaction and social capital (p = 0.004, r = 0.32).

The results demonstrated that job burnout has a negative impact on organizational commitment and a positive impact on social capital. It is recommended to reduce the level of job burnout among nurses by creating suitable working conditions, promoting a sense of efficacy, providing opportunities for personal growth, and promotion opportunity.