Participative management among staff nurses

Findings are presented from a field experimental study of the effects of increased participation on the job satisfaction and attendance behavior of staff nurses. Eight units of nurses from a large teaching hospital were involved. Four units attempted to introduce participative management while four others served as contrast units. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and stepwise multiple regression techniques were used to assess the effects of the intervention on job attitudes and attendance behavior. Results of the one-year project suggest that increased involvement in decision making had insignificant effects on attendance behavior and satisfaction with the nurses' work, supervision, and co-workers.