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

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Occupational Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Psychosocial workplace factors significantly influence job satisfaction.
• The differential impact of nurse versus supervisor perceptions of safety practices on job satisfaction remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between nurse and supervisor assessments of unit safety practices and nurses' job satisfaction.
• To determine if differing perceptions of safety practices by nurses and supervisors are associated with job satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1052 nurses across 94 units in two Boston hospitals.
• Safety practices were evaluated by aggregating nurses' responses and supervisory assessments at the unit level.
• Individual job satisfaction for each nurse served as the primary outcome variable.

Main Results:

• Supervisors generally reported more favorable safety practices than nursing staff.
• Nurses in units with better safety practices, as assessed by staff, reported higher job satisfaction (OR: 1.67).
• Supervisors' perceptions of safety practices did not correlate with their staff nurses' job satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Effective safety practices, recognized by nursing staff, are linked to increased job satisfaction.
• Aligning supervisor safety assessments with those of nursing staff may enhance job satisfaction.
• Management's role in ensuring adequate safety practices is crucial for improving nurse job satisfaction.