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Job satisfaction among hospital nurses: a longitudinal study
Health Services Research
|January 1, 1980
Summary
Nurse autonomy and task delegation strongly predict job satisfaction. A nurse's personal characteristics are more influential than unit structure or job traits in determining overall job satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Organizational Psychology
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Job satisfaction is a critical factor in nursing retention and performance.
- Understanding the determinants of job satisfaction is essential for improving healthcare work environments.
- Previous research has explored various factors, but the relative importance of perceptual versus structural attributes requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the relative importance of organizational (perceptual and structural) and nonorganizational determinants of job satisfaction among staff nurses.
- To examine how different types of variables predict both overall and multi-facet job satisfaction indicators.
- To investigate the predictive power of nurse characteristics, job attributes, and unit structures on job satisfaction.
Main Methods:
- A two-wave panel study was conducted with staff nurses in two hospitals.
- Independent variables were measured five months prior to the dependent variables (job satisfaction) to minimize contamination.
- Job satisfaction was assessed using both Overall and Multi-Facet indicators.
Main Results:
- Perceptions of job and nursing unit attributes, specifically autonomy and task delegation, were the strongest predictors of job satisfaction.
- Individual nurse characteristics were found to be more significant determinants of job satisfaction than structural attributes of nursing units or job characteristics.
- Autonomy and task delegation emerged as key perceptual factors influencing nurse job satisfaction.
Conclusions:
- Nurse autonomy and task delegation are paramount for fostering job satisfaction.
- Individual nurse characteristics play a more substantial role in job satisfaction than external structural or job-specific factors.
- Targeting improvements in nurse autonomy and empowering nurses with task delegation authority can enhance job satisfaction and potentially improve retention.