Job Satisfaction, Intention to Leave, and Related Factors among Foreign-Educated Nurses in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

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.