The Correlation between Leader–Member Exchange and Organisational Commitment among Spanish Registered Nurses: The Moderating Role of Sex and Hospital Size

The role of the supervisor in hospitals is to oversee and encourage the active work participation of registered nurses. In this context, leadership should be focused on the creation of a positive environment for the generation of high-quality care and the development of attitudes that have a beneficial influence on the work of the registered nurse. The aims of this study have been: (i) To verify if the quality of the supervisor–nurse interpersonal relationship was correlated with organisational commitment; (ii) to establish if the correlation could be moderated by empowerment, perceived organisational support, and leader–leader exchange. A cross-sectional survey with self-report questionnaires was performed. A total of 2541 registered nurses from nine public hospitals participated in the study. They completed scales measuring leader–member exchange, commitment, empowerment, perceived organisational support, and leader–leader exchange. There was a positive correlation between the quality of the leader–member exchange and commitment. Leader–leader exchange has a moderating effect on this relationship. The moderating effects of empowerment, perceived organisational support, and leader–member exchange on the supervisor–nurse interpersonal relationship and the nurse’s organisational commitment are influenced by sex and/or hospital size. Organisations should design supervisor training strategies aimed at establishing high-quality supervisor–nurse interpersonal relationships.