THE EFFECT OF SKILLS ON NURSES’ PERFORMANCE THROUGH WORK MOTIVATION AS A MEDIATING VARIABLE (A Study on Nurses at Primahusada Hospital Sukorejo)

Abstract

Nurses’ performance is vital for delivering high-quality healthcare services. Although skills and motivation have often been studied separately, research that explores their combined effect on nurses’ performance remains limited, particularly in Type C hospitals in Indonesia. In practice, strong skills without sufficient motivation often fail to produce optimal outcomes, whereas motivation alone cannot ensure consistent service quality. This study aims to examine how skills influence nurses’ performance, with work motivation serving as a mediating factor. A quantitative approach was applied by involving 100 nurses at Primahusada Hospital Sukorejo, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that both skills and work motivation significantly and positively affect performance, with skills also enhancing motivation, which subsequently mediates their relationship with performance. These findings highlight that optimal nursing performance requires not only technical competence but also sufficient motivation. Therefore, hospital management should emphasize continuous training to strengthen nurses’ skills while fostering a supportive work environment that boosts motivation, thereby ensuring sustained improvements in performance and healthcare service quality.