<![CDATA[Background: Nursing services largely shape a hospital's quality and public image, and these services depend on how well nurses perform. Weak performance among nurses frequently arises from an unsupported work climate and heavy workloads, both of which reduce patient satisfaction. Work motivation, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, acts as a psychological force that sustains professional achievement and productivity. An initial survey at Mitra Sejati General Hospital in Medan found that the nurse-to-patient ratio was inadequate, that rewards for high-achieving staff were not applied optimally, and that limited attention from supervisors had weakened motivation. Objective: To analyze the association between work motivation and the performance of nurses working in the inpatient wards of Mitra Sejati General Hospital, Medan. Methods: A descriptive-correlational study with a cross-sectional design was carried out. Of the 100 nurses in the inpatient wards, 49 were recruited through purposive sampling. Structured questionnaires gathered demographic data, work motivation scores, and performance scores. The data were examined with frequency distributions (univariate) and the chi-square test (bivariate) at a significance threshold of alpha < 0.05. Results: Most nurses (n=46; 93.9%) reported fairly good work motivation, and 43 nurses (87.8%) showed fairly good performance. The chi-square test produced a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), which signals a significant association between the two variables. Conclusion: Work motivation is significantly associated with nurse performance at Mitra Sejati General Hospital, Medan, and stronger motivation accompanies better quality of nursing care.]]>
