Sambuu Ganchuluun

Abstract Aim This study explored the relationship between language confidence and job satisfaction, the mediating role of workplace discrimination, and the moderating role of immigration duration among foreign-born nurses in Japan. Introduction Job satisfaction is an important factor in preventing migrant nurses’ turnover intentions; however, the relationships among language confidence, immigration duration, workplace discrimination, and job satisfaction among foreign-born nurses remain unclear. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected between June and August 2022 through an online survey of nurses who were born outside of Japan but were currently working as registered nurses in Japan. PROCESS v4.0 Macro for SPSS 28.0 was applied to analyze the effect of language confidence on job satisfaction, the mediator effect of workplace discrimination (model 4), and the moderator effect of immigration duration (model 15). Results Data from 187 participants were analyzed. The results showed that 1) foreign-born nurses’ language confidence was negatively correlated with workplace discrimination and positively correlated with job satisfaction; 2) workplace discrimination played a partially mediating role between language confidence and job satisfaction; and 3) immigration duration positively moderated the relationship between language confidence and job satisfaction. Conclusion Foreign-born nurses with stronger confidence in their proficiency in Japanese perceived less workplace discrimination and higher job satisfaction. Workplace discrimination acted as a mediator in the relationship between language confidence and job satisfaction, and this relationship was strengthened with longer migration periods. Managers and policymakers should implement policies and strategies to combat workplace discrimination and provide tailored support to improve foreign-born nurses’ job satisfaction, which may contribute to their retention in Japan.

Aims. To examine the association between job satisfaction and the intention to leave and explore the factors associated with job satisfaction or the intention to leave among foreign-educated nurses in Japan. Design. A cross-sectional design was used, and data were collected through an online survey of nurses who were born and received their basic nursing education outside of Japan but are currently working as registered nurses in Japan. Data were analyzed across two phases: the first explored the related factors with intention to leave and job satisfaction using bivariate analysis and regression through IBM SPSS; the second examined the theoretical framework model using a structural equation model through IBM Amos. Results. Data from 180 participants (effective response rate: 87.4%) were analyzed. Overall, foreign-educated nurses reported moderate job satisfaction level in Japan. The final model showed good fit indices, indicating that higher workplace discrimination, lower Japanese language satisfaction, and not receiving orientation were predictors of foreign-educated nurses’ lower job satisfaction. Lower job satisfaction, fewer years of nursing practice in Japan, single status, and higher language satisfaction predicted a higher intention to leave. Conclusion. This study provides incremental evidence of a negative relationship between job satisfaction and intention to leave among foreign-educated nurses in Japan. Workplace discrimination was the main predictor of nurses’ job dissatisfaction and indirectly correlated with their intention to leave, as mediated by job satisfaction. Implications. Our study suggests that managers should provide a supportive and equal work environment, including implementing policies to reduce workplace discrimination and providing adequate support programs to enhance foreign-educated nurses’ job satisfaction and reduce their turnover intention.

Although individual factors play a vital role in determining professional autonomy, their specific impact during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not been studied. This study aimed to compare nurses’ professional autonomy when caring for patients with COVID-19 and for other patients and explore factors related to autonomy when caring for these patients. A paper-based questionnaire survey was conducted from June to August 2022 among nurses working at a university hospital in Japan. The survey included demographic factors (10 items, including, age, section, years of nursing experience, position, educational background, ladder level, and having certified nurse specialists or certified nurse qualifications) and individual experience factors (4 items: number of COVID-19 patients experienced, frequency and contents of searching for the latest information about COVID-19, frequency of using scientific sources, and frequency of training/study sessions on COVID-19 attended at the hospital). Additionally, basic knowledge of COVID-19 was evaluated. The scale for nurses’ professional autonomy was developed based on a previous study. A paired t-test and stepwise multiple linear regression were used for the analyses. Overall, 241 nurses participated in the survey. The average length of nursing experience was 10.3 ± 9.2 years. The total scores for nurses’ professional autonomy in all 5 factors 27 items were significantly lower (t = −12.1, p < 0.001 ) when caring for COVID-19 patients than when caring for other patients. Specifically, Factor 1 (Cognition) exhibited the most decreased scores when caring for COVID-19 patients than when caring for other patients. Factor 4 (Abstract judgment) differed the least between caring for COVID-19 and for other patients, but the average score was the lowest. More years of nursing experience (β = 0.208, p = 0.001 ) and a higher number of patients with COVID-19 cared for (β = 0.140, p = 0.026 ) were associated with higher autonomy scores. In conclusion, to enhance professional autonomy during an unprecedented pandemic, nurses must enhance cognition and abstract judgment. In the event of a future pandemic, nurses need to create an environment in which they routinely access and utilize the latest information and scientific evidence to provide high-quality nursing care based on their professional judgment and competence.