Linking psychological capital to job embeddedness among nurses: evidence from Egyptian public healthcare setting
Abstract Background Psychological capital, encompassing hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism, is increasingly recognized as a critical resource in enhancing workplace engagement and retention. In high-stress professions such as nursing, psychological capital may serve as a buffer against jo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Nursing |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03547-2 |
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| author | Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry Mahmoud Abdelwahab Khedr Mona Metwally El-Sayed Islam Sameh Abdelhay Mennat-Allah G. Abou Zeid Bashair Mohamed Elsayed Abdo |
| author_facet | Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry Mahmoud Abdelwahab Khedr Mona Metwally El-Sayed Islam Sameh Abdelhay Mennat-Allah G. Abou Zeid Bashair Mohamed Elsayed Abdo |
| author_sort | Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Psychological capital, encompassing hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism, is increasingly recognized as a critical resource in enhancing workplace engagement and retention. In high-stress professions such as nursing, psychological capital may serve as a buffer against job demands. However, limited research exists in Egypt exploring how psychological capital influences job embeddedness, a construct reflecting an employee’s attachment to their job and organization. Objective This study aimed to examine the relationship between psychological capital and job embeddedness among nurses working in governmental hospitals in Egypt. Design A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was employed, adhering to the STROBE guidelines. Methods Data were collected from 431 registered nurses working across two public hospitals over three months. Standardized tools were used, including the 24-item Psychological Capital Questionnaire and the Global Job Embeddedness Scale. Results Psychological capital showed a significant positive correlation with job embeddedness (r = 0.356, p < 0.001). Regression analysis confirmed PsyCap as a significant predictor of JE (B = 0.317, p < 0.001), accounting for 19.8% of the variance (R² = 0.198). Among PsyCap dimensions, optimism had the strongest individual correlation with JE (r = 0.406, p < 0.001). Conversely, patient load per shift was negatively associated with JE (B = − 0.269, p < 0.001). Conclusion Psychological capital is a significant linked to job embeddedness among Egyptian nurses. Nurses with higher psychological capital levels are more likely to feel anchored in their roles, whereas high patient loads erode this attachment. Nursing implications Healthcare institutions should implement programs to develop nurses’ psychological capital particularly resilience, optimism, and self-efficacy. In parallel, managing nurse workloads is essential to enhancing retention, improving work satisfaction, and ensuring sustained quality care in challenging healthcare environments. Clinical trial number Not applicable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bba3e6ad1ec94913a9fabe4c1cb7558e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1472-6955 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Nursing |
| spelling | doaj-art-bba3e6ad1ec94913a9fabe4c1cb7558e2025-08-20T03:04:27ZengBMCBMC Nursing1472-69552025-07-0124111210.1186/s12912-025-03547-2Linking psychological capital to job embeddedness among nurses: evidence from Egyptian public healthcare settingAyman Mohamed El-Ashry0Mahmoud Abdelwahab Khedr1Mona Metwally El-Sayed2Islam Sameh Abdelhay3Mennat-Allah G. Abou Zeid4Bashair Mohamed Elsayed Abdo5Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria UniversityPsychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria UniversityPsychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria UniversityNursing Administration Department, Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura UniversityNursing Administration Department, Faculty of Nursing, Ain Shams UniversityNursing Administration Department, Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour UniversityAbstract Background Psychological capital, encompassing hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism, is increasingly recognized as a critical resource in enhancing workplace engagement and retention. In high-stress professions such as nursing, psychological capital may serve as a buffer against job demands. However, limited research exists in Egypt exploring how psychological capital influences job embeddedness, a construct reflecting an employee’s attachment to their job and organization. Objective This study aimed to examine the relationship between psychological capital and job embeddedness among nurses working in governmental hospitals in Egypt. Design A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was employed, adhering to the STROBE guidelines. Methods Data were collected from 431 registered nurses working across two public hospitals over three months. Standardized tools were used, including the 24-item Psychological Capital Questionnaire and the Global Job Embeddedness Scale. Results Psychological capital showed a significant positive correlation with job embeddedness (r = 0.356, p < 0.001). Regression analysis confirmed PsyCap as a significant predictor of JE (B = 0.317, p < 0.001), accounting for 19.8% of the variance (R² = 0.198). Among PsyCap dimensions, optimism had the strongest individual correlation with JE (r = 0.406, p < 0.001). Conversely, patient load per shift was negatively associated with JE (B = − 0.269, p < 0.001). Conclusion Psychological capital is a significant linked to job embeddedness among Egyptian nurses. Nurses with higher psychological capital levels are more likely to feel anchored in their roles, whereas high patient loads erode this attachment. Nursing implications Healthcare institutions should implement programs to develop nurses’ psychological capital particularly resilience, optimism, and self-efficacy. In parallel, managing nurse workloads is essential to enhancing retention, improving work satisfaction, and ensuring sustained quality care in challenging healthcare environments. Clinical trial number Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03547-2Psychological capitalJob embeddingNurses |
| spellingShingle | Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry Mahmoud Abdelwahab Khedr Mona Metwally El-Sayed Islam Sameh Abdelhay Mennat-Allah G. Abou Zeid Bashair Mohamed Elsayed Abdo Linking psychological capital to job embeddedness among nurses: evidence from Egyptian public healthcare setting BMC Nursing Psychological capital Job embedding Nurses |
| title | Linking psychological capital to job embeddedness among nurses: evidence from Egyptian public healthcare setting |
| title_full | Linking psychological capital to job embeddedness among nurses: evidence from Egyptian public healthcare setting |
| title_fullStr | Linking psychological capital to job embeddedness among nurses: evidence from Egyptian public healthcare setting |
| title_full_unstemmed | Linking psychological capital to job embeddedness among nurses: evidence from Egyptian public healthcare setting |
| title_short | Linking psychological capital to job embeddedness among nurses: evidence from Egyptian public healthcare setting |
| title_sort | linking psychological capital to job embeddedness among nurses evidence from egyptian public healthcare setting |
| topic | Psychological capital Job embedding Nurses |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03547-2 |
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