Job satisfaction of Moroccan nurses: Arabic validation of Kuopio University Hospital Job satisfaction Scale and survey results

Background Retaining nurses hinges on fostering supportive work environments, yet cross-national benchmarking is limited by a lack of psychometrically comparable Arabic instruments. This study aimed to translate and validate the Kuopio University Hospital Job Satisfaction Scale (KUHJSS) in Moroccan Arabic and identify organizational and demographic determinants of nurses’ job satisfaction. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was employed. A total of 220 registered nurses and midwives from four public hospitals and primary care centers in Fez completed the translated version of the KUHJSS. The instrument was translated using a forward-backward translation process. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) were conducted, and Cronbach’s α was calculated to assess internal consistency. Group differences in factor means were examined using independent-sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA. As several variables were not normally distributed, nonparametric tests were applied. Results EFA-CFA supported a stable five-factor structure comprising 32 items, which accounted for 48.4% of the total variance and demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.74–0.93). Items from the “Leadership” and “Sense of Community” domains merged into a single factor, consistent with findings from other Mediterranean adaptations. The most pronounced score differences were associated with modifiable workplace conditions rather than fixed demographic variables. Staff who rated their unit’s care quality as “high” reported significantly higher Leadership and Sense of Community scores compared to those with lower ratings ( p  < 0.001). Scores were also significantly higher in primary care and university hospitals compared to regional hospitals ( p  = 0.031). Midwives reported the highest levels on both the Leadership and Sense of Community and Motivating Factors scales ( p  = 0.021), while age, gender, and professional tenure showed only minor associations. Conclusion The Arabic KUHJSS is a reliable, valid tool for Moroccan nurses. Job satisfaction relates mainly to relational leadership, participatory climate, and perceived care quality; all amenable to organizational action. Multi-site longitudinal studies that add workload and staffing metrics should test whether strengthening these levers sustainably boosts satisfaction and retention.