Moderating effects of interprofessional collaboration on the relationship between moral sensitivity and job satisfaction among nursing assistants: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Objectives This study examined the moderating effect of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) on the association between moral sensitivity and job satisfaction among nursing assistants (NAs) in Japan. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted. We recruited 375 NAs using a convenient sampling method from 14 hospitals in Okinawa, Japan, from June to July 2024. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire including demographic and work-related variables, the 20-item short form of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Japanese version of the Revised Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, and the 24-item Revised Otsuka Interprofessional Work Competency Scale. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis and simple slope analysis were used to investigate moderating effects. Results The mean scores for job satisfaction and IPC were 59.50 ± 10.86 and 52.75 ± 15.08, respectively. The mean scores for moral responsibility, moral strength, and sense of moral burden were 7.38 ± 1.49, 11.43 ± 2.85, and 16.60 ± 3.42, respectively. Job satisfaction was positively correlated with IPC ( r = 0.31, P < 0.001), moral strength ( r = 0.40, P < 0.001), and sense of moral burden ( r = 0.39, P < 0.001), but not with moral responsibility ( r = 0.01, P = 0.912). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that moral strength ( β = 0.18, P < 0.05) and sense of moral burden ( β = 0.21, P < 0.01) significantly predicted job satisfaction. A significant interaction effect was observed between sense of moral burden and IPC ( β = 0.13, P < 0.05). A simple slope analysis revealed that at high levels of IPC, sense of moral burden was positively associated with job satisfaction ( P < 0.001). Conclusions A sense of moral burden may enhance job satisfaction when supported by strong IPC. Enhancing both moral sensitivity and IPC may improve job satisfaction among NAs and support patient-centered care in Japan’s rapidly aging society.