Marital Satisfaction and Job Commitment of Nigerian Nurses: Implications for Family Value System

Abstract

Aim: Work and family domains are interdependent. Job commitment is very important for both employees and employers. The study aims to examine the implications of marital satisfaction and job commitment to the Nigerian family value system. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey design. Place and Duration of Study: Redeemer’s University Osun State, South-West Nigeria. Methodology: A total of 259 nurses (50 males and 209 females) purposively selected from two general hospitals in Osun State Nigeria responded to Enrich Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMSS) and Organisational Commitment Scale (OCS). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analysis. Results: Age was observed to have a significant inverse relationship with job commitment and identification. Length of marriage has a significant inverse relationship with job identification. Marital satisfaction (R² =.073, p=.005), age (R² = .022, p= .015), and length of marriage (R² = .001, p =.035) were found to significantly predict job commitment. Also job status had significant influence on identification (t (256) = 2.35, p=019) and job commitment (t (257) = 2.49. p=.014). Conclusion: Authors concluded that age is inversely related to job commitment as well as job identification, that marital satisfaction, age, and length of marriage are significant independent predictors of job commitment among nurses. For positive job commitment appreciation of family value systems and employees, marital satisfaction should be among employers’ top priority. Organisational policies that promote work-life balance should be encouraged especially in healthcare institutions.