Nurses' but not supervisors' safety practices are linked with job satisfaction

To test the associations of safety practices as reported by nurses and their respective unit supervisors with job satisfaction.

Psychosocial workplace factors are associated with job satisfaction; however, it is unknown whether nurses and supervisors accounts of safety practices are differentially linked to this outcome.

Cross-sectional study design including nurses (n = 1052) nested in 94 units in two hospitals in Boston (MA, USA). Safety practices refer to the identification and control of occupational hazards at the unit. Safety practices were measured aggregating nurses' responses per unit, and supervisory levels. Individual's job satisfaction for each nurse was the response variable.

Supervisors assessed safety practices more favourably than their unit nursing staff. Adjusted random intercept logistic regressions showed that the odds of higher job satisfaction were higher for nurses at units with better safety practices (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.68) compared with nurses at units that averaged lower safety practices. Supervisors' reports of safety practices were not correlated with the job satisfaction of their staff.

Adequate safety practices might be a relevant managerial role that enhances job satisfaction among nurses.

Nursing supervisors should calibrate their safety assessments with their nursing staff to improve nurses' job satisfaction.