Examining Nurses' Demographic Variations on Supervisory Support and Work Environment Perceptions: A Secondary Data Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: The increasing emphasis on creating healthy work environments is driven by their impact on both nurse and patient outcomes. Previous evidence has established a link between supportive nursing leadership and work environments, but demographic characteristics have not been adequately explored. This study aims to investigate whether demographic variations among nurses influence their perceptions of supervisory support and work environment.

Methods: Secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional quantitative survey was utilized to recruit registered nurses employed in a government-owned and corporate-controlled (GOCC) tertiary hospital in the Philippines from September 2022 and October 2022. The primary data were collected through a demographic questionnaire, the validated Supervisory Support Scale tool, and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool. Inferential analyses were employed to examine differences between study variables. Data processing was performed using Microsoft Excel 2022 and the R program, with a significance level set at 0.05.

Results: The original dataset with a sample of 519 registered nurses was predominantly composed of non-married female nurses with bachelor’s degrees and varying clinical experiences. The secondary data analysis revealed no significant differences in work environment and supervisory support perceptions in relation to nurses’ demographic characteristics.

Conclusions: This study provides critical insights into the Philippine nursing workforce literature by demonstrating that nurses’ demographic variations alone do not significantly influence their supervisory support and work environment perceptions. These results suggest that shifting the focus to broader factors beyond demographic variations among nurses may play a more critical role in shaping nurses’ work environment and supervisory support perceptions. Future research should explore the potential intersection of systemic factors such as leadership competencies, psychological safety, and workplace policies in shaping the nursing workforce dynamics.