**3. Results**

Table 2 presents the characteristics of the nurses involved in this study. Females participated more than males, and females showed a higher level of job engagemen<sup>t</sup> and job retention intention than males as well. The group of the nurses aged 41 or over showed the highest level of job engagemen<sup>t</sup> and job retention intention, and married respondents showed a higher level of job engagemen<sup>t</sup> and job retention intention. The group of nurses working for general hospitals occupied the largest proportion of the participants, but the group of those working for health centers and communities showed a higher level of job engagemen<sup>t</sup> and job retention intention. The group of head nurses displayed a higher level of job engagement, and the group of charge nurses displayed a higher level of job retention intention. In relation to COVID-19-related characteristics, the nurses with experience in caring for COVID-19 patients had a higher level of job engagement.

Table 3 shows the results of nurses' job engagement. While the di fferences in job engagemen<sup>t</sup> followed by social support were not statistically significant, the group that recognized it (M = 3.392, SD = 0.639) showed a high result (F = 2.145, *p* > 0.05). In the case of the detailed di fferences that appeared depending on the category of support, the group that received support from family displayed the highest level of engagemen<sup>t</sup> (M = 3.541, SD = 0.578), and the group supported by work colleagues (M = 2.998, SD = 0.657) scored the lowest (F = 3.463, *p* < 0.001). In terms of the types of social support, social support group through the mass media (M = 3.454, SD = 0.654) showed the highest job engagemen<sup>t</sup> (F = 0.380, *p* > 0.05).

Table 4 shows the di fferences in the job retention intention of nurses followed by social support. The job retention intention of nurses based on social support was highest for the group that could not recognize social support (M = 3.952, SD = 1.001), but there was no significant di fference (F = 2.918, *p* > 0.05). For the detailed di fferences followed by the support categories, the group that recognized national encouragemen<sup>t</sup> (M = 4.174, SD = 0.968) recorded the highest scores for job retention intention, and the group that recognized encouragemen<sup>t</sup> by the company (M = 3.577, SD = 0.929) recorded the lowest (F = 2.997, *p* > 0.05). Lastly, in terms of the types of social support, the group that recognized encouragemen<sup>t</sup> through mass media (M = 4.227, SD = 0.972) had the highest job retention intention (F = 3.389, *p* < 0.05).


**Table 2.** Demographic Characteristics and Scores by Variables (*n* = 377).

\**p* < 0.05, \*\*\* *p* < 0.001.

**Table 3.** Result of one-way analysis of variance about job engagement.


Note: a Family, b Friend, c Colleague, d Country, e Company, α Mass media, β Analog media, γ Social network service, δ Conversation and encouragement.


**Table 4.** Results of one-way analysis of variance about job retention intention.

Note: a Family, b Friend, c Colleague, d Country, e Company, α Mass media, β Analog media, γ Social network service, δ Conversation and encouragement.
