The Power of Spirituality and Satisfaction: Uncovering the Roots of Caring Behaviors in Nursing

Abstract

Purpose of Study: Nurses’ caring behaviors are essential for improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the associations between spiritual well-being, job satisfaction, and specific dimensions of caring behaviors among Iranian nurses. Design of Study: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Methods Used: A total of 200 nurses were recruited through convenience sampling from four government hospitals in northern Iran during 2023. Data were collected using a demographic form, the Caring Behaviors Inventory, the Spiritual Well-being Scale, and the Job Satisfaction Survey. Statistical analyses were conducted using two-level logistic regression models with the Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) method in STATA Version 17. Findings: Spiritual well-being was significantly associated with overall caring behaviors and subdimensions such as respectful communication and ensuring human presence (p < 0.001). Internal job satisfaction was significantly related to ensuring human presence (p < 0.05), while external satisfaction and existential well-being showed no significant associations (p > 0.05). Unit-level clustering accounted for less than 3% of variance in caring behaviors. Conclusion: Spiritual well-being and internal job satisfaction play key roles in promoting nurses’ caring behaviors. Interventions to enhance spiritual well-being hand strengthen internal aspects of job satisfaction may contribute to better patient care outcomes.