Causal attribution, which has been a popular topic of investigation in many domains for several decades, is fast becoming a legitimate area of research in organizational settings as well. Indeed, many fields of organizational studies can benefit from this concept. One of those areas is work stress, which is also a phenomenon that has become a major concern in the nursing profession.

Considering the fact that work stress and turnover intention constitute increasingly serious problems particularly in the nursing profession, the ultimate purpose of the present study was to evaluate the moderation and mediation function of causal attribution in the stress process. This aim was achieved through a suggested multi-process framework incorporating both moderation and mediation effects of causal attribution. The moderation model found support for some combinations of the three-way interactions of work stressors, controlbased dimensions of causal attribution, and job level on turnover intention and coping strategy. The mediation effect of causal attribution was tested via two processes and considerable supports were established. In an energy-draining process, work stressors along with the mediating effects of external locus of causality depleted the nurses’ energy, leading to turnover intention. In a motivational process, on the other hand, personal resources along with the mediating effect of causal attribution for work-related successes, fostered the nurses’ motivation so that they became more engaged in their work, leading to higher organizational identification and to less intention to leave the nursing job.