The role of leadership in job satisfaction and turnover intention among Navy nurses: a cross-sectional study in Greece

TL;DR

This study explores how leadership affects job satisfaction and turnover intentions among Navy nurses in Greece, highlighting the need for better leadership and working conditions.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into job satisfaction and turnover intentions among Hellenic Navy nurses, focusing on leadership's role in a military healthcare context.

Findings

Navy nurses reported high dissatisfaction with pay, promotion, and fringe benefits.

Over half of the nurses considered leaving the Navy or nursing profession.

Job satisfaction was significantly linked to work nature and communication quality.

Abstract

Leadership underpins nurses' interrelated satisfaction and retention, particularly in military healthcare settings marked by strict hierarchies and high operational demands. In Greece, Navy nurses are integral to military healthcare, yet evidence on their job satisfaction and turnover intentions remains limited. This study offers an initial examination of these factors to inform retention strategies and sustain clinical workforce stability.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and March 2025 among active-duty Hellenic Navy nurse officers, primarily serving at the Athens Naval Hospital. Data were collected using an anonymous questionnaire incorporating the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) and turnover intention items. Analyses employed descriptive statistics and bivariate tests.

Sixty nurse officers participated (response rate: 53.6%). While respondents reported satisfaction with supervision (68.3%) and coworker relationships (31.7%), there was widespread dissatisfaction with extrinsic factors: 90.0% with pay, 85.0% with promotion opportunities, and 83.3% with fringe benefits. Overall, 53.3% of nurses reported low job satisfaction. Turnover intentions were high: 46.7% considered transitioning to civilian nursing, and 31.7% intended to leave both the Navy and the profession. Job satisfaction related to the nature of work (r = 0.36, p < 0.05) and communication (r = −0.33, p < 0.05) significantly correlated with turnover intentions.

Leadership quality, as reflected in supportive supervision, is a key protective factor against job dissatisfaction and turnover intention among Hellenic Navy nurse officers. Strengthening supervisory practices and leadership development, alongside reforms addressing extrinsic rewards and communication, is essential to enhance retention and sustain a resilient military nursing workforce.