Compassion Fatigue Mediates the Relationship Between Workplace Safety Climate, Career Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention Among Nurses: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Background Workplace safety culture is pivotal in healthcare settings, known to enhance nurses' effectiveness and productivity. Yet, the specific pathways through which safety culture influences these outcomes, especially in relation to compassion fatigue, are not fully understood. Aim This study investigated the mediating role of compassion fatigue in the relationship between workplace safety culture, career satisfaction, and turnover intention among nurses. Methods A cross‐sectional survey was conducted with 269 nurses from various acute healthcare facilities in Eastern Visayas, Philippines. Three standardized scales were used to collect the data. Mediation testing was performed using Hayes' PROCESS macro in SPSS (Model 4). Results Workplace safety culture was negatively associated with compassion fatigue ( β = −0.2604, p = 0.0012) and turnover intention ( β = −0.2778, p = 0.0048) and positively associated with career satisfaction ( β = 0.3986, p = 0.0001). Compassion fatigue partially mediated the relationship between workplace safety culture and career satisfaction ( β = 0.0645, 95% CI [0.0213, 0.1215]) and the relationship between workplace safety culture and intention to stay ( β = −0.0756, 95% CI [−0.1398, −0.0263]). Linking Evidence to Action A positive workplace safety culture was associated with a lower compassion fatigue, which in turn enhanced career satisfaction and lower turnover intention among nurses. Healthcare organizations and policymakers should prioritize strategies that enhance safety culture and provide support for nurses to manage compassion fatigue effectively, ultimately leading to better patient care and a more stable nursing workforce.