JOB SATISFACTION

AMONG NURSES
INTRODUCTION
Organization comprises of people, it is their satisfaction which can make or mars the
performance of an organization. Employee satisfaction is important in determining how far an
organization achieves its goals. Job satisfaction leads to life satisfaction. Job satisfaction is
generally regarded as an employee’s attitude toward the job and job situation. Spector (1997)
defines job satisfaction simply as ―the degree to which people like their jobs.‖ Some people
therefore enjoy work and consider it a central part of their lives while others do so only because
they have to. Robbins (2005) defines job satisfaction as ―a collection of feelings that an
individual holds towards his or her job.‖ This implies that a person with a high level of job
satisfaction will hold positive feelings towards the job and a person who is dissatisfied will hold
negative feelings about the job. Locke (1976) as cited by Cooper and Locke (2000) offers a
further definition of job satisfaction as a ―pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from
the appraisal of one’s job or job experiences.‖ Job satisfaction is also defined in terms of equity.
Robbins et al. (2003) define job satisfaction as ―the difference between the rewards employees
receive and the reward they believe they should receive.‖ The higher this discrepancy, the lower
will be the job satisfaction. Job dissatisfaction leads to absenteeism, labour turnover and
negative publicity of the organization. Unsatisfied worker can prove to be a liability to any
organization and on the other hand happy and satisfied worker is always a productive worker.
Nurses contribute very important position in health care sector. Helping sick people and dealing
with medical emergencies can be very stressful. Patients need 24 hrs care. Nursing duty is
around the clock duty including night shifts. They often work nights, weekends and even on
holidays. There is a considerable amount of health hazard from disease, infection and radiation.
A nurse is responsible—along with other health care professionals—for the treatment, safety,
and recovery of acutely or chronically ill or injured people, health maintenance of the healthy,
and treatment of life- threatening emergencies in a wide range of health care settings.
Nurses may also be involved in medical and nursing research and perform a wide range of non-
clinical functions necessary to deliver health care. Thus, studying job satisfaction among nurses
is important because it is necessary to distinguish between positive and negative aspects of job
satisfaction. Hertzberg (1959) stated that (positive) satisfaction is due to good experiences, and
that these are due to `motivators' i.e. achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility and
advancement. Dissatisfaction is due to bad experiences caused by `hygiene' factors i.e.
supervisors, fellow workers, company policy, working conditions, and personal life (Hertzberg
1959)

NEED OF THE STUDY

The present set up in government and private hospitals depicts that a massive work load with the
greater deal of responsibilities are vested on the working nurses in their day to day activities. The
role played by the working nurses is so significant in maintaining the basic purpose of the
government and private hospitals that the question of their satisfaction from their job can never
be ignored. Extensive research has been done on role stress among nurses but very few studies
have been done on job satisfaction in nurses. So, the present study aims at measuring the level of
job satisfaction among the nurses.

OBJECTIVE S OF THE STUDY

Present study is conducted in Patiala as these areas contains maximum government and private
medical institutes which caters to the needs of people from north-west region. These hospitals
have state-of-art facilities and region is fast developing into a health care hub. Nurses are
important constituent of health care industry and their level of job satisfaction is of extreme
importance in delievering proper health care.
Therefore the present study has been conducted in Patiala with the following objectives:
1. To compare the level of job satisfaction among nurses in government and private hospitals
2. To analyse the various factors influencing job satisfaction among nurses.
3. To suggest improvements needed to increase their job satisfaction.

UNIVERSE OF THE STUDY, SAMPLING DESIGN AND SAMPLE SIZE:

A Descriptive study was carried out to have an in depth understanding of the job satisfaction
level among nurses. Simple random sampling was adopted to select 100 nurses of all age group
ranging from 22 to 58 years from the government hospitals and the private hospitals. The sample
of nurses was selected on the basis of convenient sampling from Patiala. 50 nurses are taken as
sample from the government hospitals and 50 from the private hospitals in order to draw a
comparison between the job satisfaction of nurses working in theses two sectors .A total of 7
hospitals from both areas were randomly selected from Patiala. The
Government hospitals selected are Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research,
Sector 12, Chandigarh, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh,
Government Multispeciality Hospital, Sector 16, Chandigarh. And the Private hospitals selected
are Mukat Hospital, Sector 34, Chandigarh, Inscol Hospital, Sector 34, Chandigarh, Fortis
Hospital, phase 7, Mohali and IVY Hospital and cancer research institute, Sector 71, Mohali.

DATABASE:
For the purpose of the present study, primary data has been used. The primary data was obtained
through direct communication with the respondents through a structured questionnaire. The
questionnaire contained both open ended as well as close ended questions. The questionnaire
containing questions on various dimensions of job satisfaction were distributed. All possible
efforts were made to make the nurses feel at ease and respond to the various questions with full
concentration. The purpose of the study was explained to the respondents. They were informed
that the results would be kept strictly confidential and efforts were made to get maximum co-
operation of the nurses.

ANALYSIS OF DATA
To analyze the perception of nurses towards their job, the data is analyzed by bringing raw data
to measured data, summarizing the data and then applying analytical method to manipulate the
data so that their interrelationship and quantitative meaning become evident. Other instruments
used to analyze and interpret the collected data include pie charts, bar diagrams, tabulation and
rank method.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:

1) The views of nurses were obtained from Patiala only. These views may not be attributed to the
nurses of the whole country because of economic, social and cultural differences in the attitude
and preferences.
2) The questionnaire method has the limitation of providing the limited information.
3) Due to constraints of resources, the study is limited to small sample size i.e. only 100 nurses.
 ARTICLES

New Report: High Job Satisfaction Among Public Health Nurses, But Many
State Health Departments Struggle to Fill Vacancies

New surveys identify compelling need to advance education and training, increase diversity, and
improve recruitment of public health nurses.

Princeton, N.J.—Public health nurses play an essential role in improving the population’s health
and delivering essential health services to communities, but the public health nursing workforce
is facing significant challenges. More than two in five state health departments report having ―a
great deal of difficulty‖ hiring nurses and nearly 40 percent of state and local health departments
report having insufficient resources to fill vacant nurse positions.
Those are among the findings of a report released today by the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation (RWJF), which provides the first comprehensive assessment of the size,
composition, educational background, experience, retirement intention, job function, and job
satisfaction of nurses who work for state and local health departments.
Enumeration and Characterization of the Public Health Nurse Workforce: Findings of the 2012
Public Health Nurse Workforce Surveys, produced by the University of Michigan Center of
Excellence in Public Health Workforce Studies and funded by RWJF, collected data from state
and local public health departments and surveyed public health nurses themselves. It finds that
public health nurses report concerns about job stability, compensation, and career growth in light
of budget-tightening at many state and local health departments. Yet these nurses also report
very high levels of job satisfaction and that they feel they are making a difference in their
communities—factors that could bolster recruitment efforts.

―Capturing this data about public health nurses, who represent the largest professional sector of
the public health workforce, gives us a clearer picture of the challenges before us,‖ said Pamela
G. Russo, MD, MPH, RWJF senior program officer. ―It should be a high priority to address gaps
and take steps to strengthen the public health nursing workforce. As health reform is
implemented, and as public health agencies are transforming to a more population-health-
oriented role in promoting health and protecting communities, public health nurses will need
 additional training to keep pace with the changes. The size, makeup, and preparation of the
public health nursing workforce greatly affect the ability of agencies to protect and improve the
health of people in their jurisdictions.‖

The new report offers a snapshot of the current public health nurse workforce—estimated at
34,521 full-time equivalent RNs—and highlights the need for ongoing systematic monitoring in
order to: inform competency, compliance and credentialing efforts; permit better alignment of
academic resources with workforce needs; and allow for better understanding of the relationship
between workforce infrastructure and population health outcomes. Among its findings:

 Nearly two in five respondents to the survey (39%) report that their highest nursing degree is a
diploma/associate’s degree. Just 10 states require public health nurses to have BSN degrees.

 Providing clinical services is part of the work done by RNs in state and local health
departments, but these nurses assume a wide variety of roles, including health promotion,
disease surveillance, community health assessment, policy development, and more.

 The public health nursing workforce does not reflect the diversity of the communities it
serves. Just 4 percent of public health nurses self-identify as Hispanic/Latino and 95 percent
of those in leadership positions self-identify as White.

 The public health nurse workforce is aging; however, most RNs do not intend to retire within
the next five years.

 Recruitment and hiring of RNs into public health nurses positions can be challenging,
particularly for state health departments.

 Lack of promotion opportunities is a concern to both health departments and RNs.

 Public health nurses report extremely high levels of job satisfaction, despite reporting high
levels of dissatisfaction with salaries.

Recommendations in the report, created by the project’s advisory committee, include:

 Develop feasible opportunities for additional education and training for public health nurses.
 Improve the pipeline and intensify recruitment so public health nurses in health departments
reflect the racial and ethnic composition of the communities they serve.

 Determine how changes in the functions of public health departments, due to health care
reform and the transformation of public health agencies’ work, may affect the education
public health nurses need.

 Identify options to address concerns about recruitment, compensation, and promotion

opportunities.

 Conduct follow-up studies to monitor size, composition, capacity and functions of the public
health nurse workforce over time, to help ensure this workforce is well-prepared to meet
emerging needs.

―The nation depends on a strong public health nursing workforce, and these surveys identify
clear challenges that federal, state, and local policy-makers, health agencies, and academic and
philanthropic leaders can address,‖ said Matthew L. Boulton, MD, MPH, director of the Center
of Excellence in Public Health Workforce Studies and associate professor at the University of
Michigan School of Public Health (UMSPH).

―We shouldn’t overlook the importance of positive findings related to job satisfaction,‖ added
Angela J. Beck, PhD, MPH, the Center’s associate director and research assistant professor at
UMSPH. ―With 85 percent of public health nurses reporting job satisfaction and 90 percent
reporting that they feel they make a difference in the health of their communities, we have a
strong foundation to build on.‖

Several earlier national studies have attempted to count public health nurses in specific settings,
but until now there has been little data collected on the characteristics of the public health
nursing workforce as a whole. This limitation has made it difficult to determine the most
strategic and sustainable approaches to providing training that will increase the skills and impact
of this essential workforce. For this report, RWJF commissioned both organizational- and
individual-level public health nurse workforce surveys, conducted by the University of Michigan
Center of Excellence in Public Health Workforce Studies, to address these gaps in knowledge.
A public health nursing research agenda, established in 2010 by a collaborative working group of
leaders in public health nursing, emphasized developing a better understanding of how metrics
related to public health nursing impact population health. The Enumeration and Characterization
of the Public Health Nurse Workforce report, released today,provides baseline data that can
further this research agenda.

http://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/newsroom/newsroom-content/2013/06/new-report--high-job-
satisfaction-among-public-health-nurses--bu.html

Career, Job Satisfaction Rises Among Nurses, but Many Plan to Cut Back or Find
New Job

Whether caused by improvements in the economy or improvements in their work-life isn’t clear,
but nurses in 2012 are more willing than just a year ago to stay in the profession and continue
working right where they are.

The 2012 Survey of Registered Nurses found 91 percent of responding nurses satisfied with
nursing as a career and almost three-quarters of them (73 percent) said they were satisfied with
their current job. That job and career satisfaction — the highest in the three years of the survey
— may explain why 66 percent of the nurses intend to ―continue working as I am.‖
As the survey report itself says, ―The 2012 survey results show a much improved sense of
satisfaction with both career and job.‖

Last year, only 74 percent of the nurses in the survey said they were satisfied with their choice of
profession and only 55 percent of the nurses said they intended to ―continue working as I am‖;
24 percent planned to look for another job. In the 2012 survey, the percentage of nurses
intending to change employers dropped to 17 percent.

―These large increases in career and job satisfaction,‖ notes the survey, ―could be indicative of
the attention nursing is receiving since the publishing of the IOM report: The Future of Nursing.
With a larger degree of focus on nursing and its future, nurses in general feel better about their
profession.‖

That report on nursing’s future by the Institute of Medicine offered a number of

recommendations and goals, one of which is that 80 percent of nurses have a Bachelor of
Science in Nursing. However, the 2012 survey found only 17 percent intending to pursue their
BSN. Another 23 percent are considering an advanced nursing degree.

The percentages look a little better when the 2,931 respondents to the emailed survey are broken
down by age. Few older nurses (those 55 and older) plan to pursue any nursing degree, while
among those under 40, 25 percent intend to obtain their BSN, and an additional 43 percent will
seek a Master’s or doctoral degree in nursing.

Even as the 2012 survey results show nurses have brightened in their job and career satisfaction,
a third of them admitted they ―often feel like resigning from my position. About the same
percentage said that if they had their way they would ―not be working in this job in a year.‖

Coupled with the 17 percent who say they’ll be looking for another job in the year, and another
17 percent who say they’ll retire, leave nursing, or otherwise cut back on their hours, the survey
suggests that individual facilities — if not the profession as a whole — may still face a nurse
shortage.
Job Satisfaction of Nursres and identifying factors of job satisfaction in
Solvenian Hospitals

Mateja Lorber1 and Brigita Skela Savič2

Author information ► Article notes ► Copyright and License information ►

Abstract

Job satisfaction is determined by a comparison of one’s prior expectations about the job and the
actual experience of the job (1). It has been found that job satisfaction relates to beliefs and
emotions that individuals have about their work and their job (2). It has been described as an
attitude with an affective and cognitive component (3). When establishing the level of job
satisfaction, we should focus on how employees feel about their work and personal relationships
in the workplace, and on how leaders influence employees’ satisfaction. Without a doubt,
satisfied employees are the ultimate goal of every leader. On the other hand, the goal of every
employee is to find the kind of work that matches their abilities and interests as closely as
possible, enables them success, and provides them with opportunities for promotion. Satisfied
employees tend to be more productive and committed to their employers, and a direct correlation
has been shown between staff satisfaction and patient satisfaction in health care organizations
(4,5).

Even though research has shown different levels of job satisfaction for nurses, satisfaction
predictors tend to be relatively similar, and include working conditions, relationships with
coworkers and leaders, pay, promotion, security of employment, responsibility, and working
hours (2,6-16). In Slovenia, no studies on the effects of leadership style, personality
characteristics, and managerial competencies of leaders on job satisfaction have been conducted.
There was only some research about leadership style in health care institutions (17-19). Also
organizational climate and organizational culture in nursing have been studied as well as job
satisfaction in some institutions (20-24). Experts in Slovenia (17,18,25-27) point to the problem
of lack of knowledge of leaders about leadership.

Because it affects not only quality of nursing but also patients’ satisfaction, the level of
employees’ job satisfaction is very important for health care institutions. The aim of the study
was to determine the level of job satisfaction of employees in nursing and to determine the
influence of leadership in job satisfaction.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3368291/

1. Mihalič R. Increase satisfaction and loyalty of employees. Škofja Loka (Slovenia): Mihalič &
Partner; 2008.

2. Lu H, While K, Bariball K. Job satisfaction among nurses: a literature review. Int J Nurs
Stud.2005;42:211–27. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2004.09.003. [PubMed] [Cross Ref]

3. Judge TA, Thoresen CJ, Bono JE, Patton GK. The job satisfaction-job performance
relationship: A qualiative and quantitative review. Psychol Bull. 2001;127:376–407. doi:
10.1037/0033-2909.127.3.376.[PubMed] [Cross Ref]

4. Al-Almeri AS. Job satisfaction and organizational commitment for nurses. Saudi Med
J.2000;21:531–5. [PubMed]

5. Tzeng HM. The influence of nurses’ working motivation and job satisfaction on intention to
quit: an empirical investigation in Taiwan. Int J Nurs Stud. 2002;39:867–78. doi:
10.1016/S0020-7489(02)00027-5. [PubMed] [Cross Ref]

Nurse Job Satisfaction Improves Patient Outcomes, NDNQI Data Show

When nurses enjoy their jobs and intend to stay in their positions long term, it can translate to
improved patient outcomes, according to findings from NDNQI, a quality improvement program
of the American Nurses Association.

"NDNQI data show that positive patient outcomes are strongly tied to nurse satisfaction," says
Marla J. Weston, PhD, RN, FAAN, chief executive officer of the American Nurses Association.

"For example, during a two-year time span, our RN survey data revealed that a 25% increase in
job enjoyment, and a 29% increase in intent to stay, associated with an overall quality of care
increase of 5-20%."

NDNQI data also showed that injury falls rate decreased by 17% in four years, hospital-acquired
pressure ulcer rate decreased by 24-59% in two years, and infection rates decreased by 87% in
two years. The ranges are reflective of the differences among nursing units and why reporting at
the nursing unit level matters.

NDNQI tracks up to 18 nursing-sensitive quality measures, providing actionable insights based

on structure, process, and outcome data. For more information, visitwww.ndnqi.org.

Download: ANA Inspired Care Infographic [168KB .pdf]

NDNQI is a quality improvement solution of the American Nurses Association. Used by 2,000
hospitals nationwide, it is the largest provider of unit-level performance data to hospitals.

NDNQI's measures reflect the structure, process and outcomes of nursing care, such as hospital-
acquired pressure ulcers, patient falls and infections.

NDNQI comparison data guides hospitals affecting quality improvements and examining the
relationship between nurse staffing and patient outcomes

http://nursing.advanceweb.com/News/National-News/Nurse-Job-Satisfaction-Improves-Patient-
Outcomes-NDNQI-Data-Show.aspx
Nursing staff teamwork and job satisfaction

KALISCH BJ, LEE H & ROCHMAN M. (2010) Journal of Nursing Management 18, 938–947
Nurse practitioners’ job satisfaction and intent to leave current positions, the
nursing profession, and the nurse practitioner role as a direct care provider
Darcie G. De Milt, DNP, RN, NE-BC, ACNP-BC, GNP-BC1, Joyce J. Fitzpatrick, PhD, RN,
FAAN (Elizabeth Brooks
Ford Professor of Nursing)2, & Sister Rita McNulty, DNP, RN, CNP (Adjunct Assistant
Professor)

Purpose: The purposes of this cross-sectional descriptive study were threefold: to describe job
satisfaction among a national nurse practitioner (NP) sample; to examine differences in NP job
satisfaction based on their intent to leave current positions, the nursing profession, and the NP
role as a direct care provider; and to describe the relationship between job satisfaction and
anticipated turnover.
Data sources: Data were collected from 254 NPs who attended the 2008 American Academy of
NPs (AANPs) 23rd National Conference. The Misener NP Job Satisfaction Scale (MNPJSS) was
used to measure NP job satisfaction. The Anticipated Turnover Scale (ATS) was used to assess
NP perception or opinion of the possibility of voluntarily terminating their present job. Intent to
leave variables were measured with single-item questions.
Conclusions: The NPs sampled were satisfied with benefits, challenge, and autonomy. They
were minimally satisfied with professional growth, intrapractice partnership, and collegiality.
Twenty-seven percent of NPs indicated intent to leave current positions; a small percentage
(5.5%) indicated intent to leave the nursing profession and the NP role as a direct care provider
(5.5%). There were significant differences in job satisfaction based on intent to leave current
positions, and higher job satisfaction scores were significantly related to intent not to leave
current positions. There was a significant negative relationship between job satisfaction and
anticipated turnover. This study contributes to the current literature that has minimally addressed
NP job satisfaction and has not addressed NPs’ intent to leave current positions, the nursing
profession, or the NP role as a direct care provider. This is the first national NP study of job
satisfaction, intent to leave, and anticipated turnover.
Implications for practice: This study will help bridge the gap in literature relating to NP job
satisfaction, their intent to leave, and anticipated turnover. The results of this study could
potentially assist employers in developing strategies for recruitment and long-term retention.
These results may also give insight into how NPs can make their work environments more
fulfilling. Additionally, these results may contribute to continued role adaption necessary for the
constantly changing work environments in which NPs currently practice.

Job Satisfaction Of Certified Nurse Midwives: An Examination

Health care providers face pressure to reduce costs and enhance patient satisfaction. One
approach is to employ primary care providers such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants,
and certified nurse midwives. Since there is a positive relationship between job satisfaction and
patient satisfaction, positive job satisfaction on the part of providers, such as midwives, can
translate into patient satisfaction. This research explores the degree of job satisfaction exhibited
by certified nurse midwives. The data derives from a survey of 2000 CNM members of the
American College of Nurse-Midwives. The survey captures job satisfaction factors, including
interactions with physicians and nurses, job tasks, organization policies, pay, job autonomy,
professional status, and job requirements and demographics. The findings reveal that the factors
associated with overall job satisfaction are conditioned by midwives’ places of work. While
levels of job satisfaction are high, those factors associated with it vary by workplace. Therefore,
strategies designed to enhance job satisfaction for certified nurse midwives should relate to the
locus of work and its environment.

Job Satisfaction and Midwives

While there are numerous job satisfaction studies of health professionals, especially nurses and
physicians, studies that explore CNM job satisfaction are limited in number, and they are dated.
An early study found CNMs to be satisfied with their jobs (Collins, 1990). An Australian study
found job satisfaction was associated with patient and colleague interactions (Watson, Potter &
Donohue, 1999). A study of first-year CNMs found no relationship between job satisfaction and
mentoring (Cuesta & Bloom, 1998).
Other inquires into CNM job satisfaction are limited in scope. Most focus on one or two aspects
or primarily on overall job satisfaction. One investigation found that midwives who left and later
returned to their practices did so because of previous high job satisfaction experiences (The
University of Sheffield, 2006). Cattrell, Lavender, Wallymahmed, Kingdon, and Riley (2006)
demonstrated that midwives gained considerable overall job satisfaction by continuity of care for
patients. An examination of midwives in birth centers showed high levels of job satisfaction
because the midwives felt their skills were needed and gave high satisfaction to patients
(Bainbridge, 2006). Another inquiry conducted in Iran found that 49% of the midwives surveyed
exhibited moderate levels of job satisfaction, 49% reported low satisfaction, and 2% conveyed
high levels of job satisfaction (Mirmolaei, Dargahi, Kazemnejad, & Mohajerrahbari, 2005).
Using correlation analysis, the study revealed no significant relationship between overall job
satisfaction and various demographic variables, such as age, academic degree, and salary. A
study of Estonian midwives found no significant association between job satisfaction and age,
ethnicity, work abroad, or increased responsibility (Lazarus, Rasch & Liljestrand, 2005).
A review of the literature on factors affecting the retention and turnover of midwives indicated
that job aspects associated with job satisfaction, such as working hours, workload, and
appreciation of contribution, received high ratings, and, consequently, are important factors for
retention of midwives (Cox & McBride, 2004). An investigation of midwives in Turkey explored
levels of work-related stress, burnout, and overall job satisfaction (Oncel, Ozer, & Efe, 2007). It
was found that the level of work-related stress and levels for emotional exhaustion were
moderate, while general work satisfaction was high. Another job satisfaction study of health care
workers in Turkey, including general practitioners, nurses, technicians, and midwives, showed
that midwives had the lowest overall job satisfaction scores (Bodur, 2002).
The research reviewed leads to the conclusion that the findings are mixed and sometimes
contradictory, and that more investigation of CNM job satisfaction is needed. This study
examines the levels of CNM job satisfaction and the association of job satisfaction factors,
demographics, and places of work, with overall job satisfaction.

Sample
The certified nurse midwives surveyed were members of the American College of Nurse-
Midwives. A random sample of 2000 certified nurse midwife names was acquired from this
association and the survey was mailed to each. Six hundred and eighty questionnaires were
returned, resulting in 537 usable questionnaires. A comparison of the demographic
characteristics of the sample with a membership survey indicates that the respondents were
representative of ACNM members at large (Schulling, Sipe, & Fullerton, 2005).

Discussion and Implications

This study provides insights into some of the factors that have an important effect in explaining
the variation in overall job satisfaction of certified nurse midwives. One noteworthy finding is
that the factors related to CNM overall job satisfaction are conditioned by their place of work or
employment. An important implication is that healthcare managers and administrators need to
realize that job satisfaction for CNMs is workplace specific and not generic. While levels of
overall job satisfaction are high for CNMs, the factors associated with it vary by workplace.
Therefore, strategies designed to enhance job satisfaction for CNMs must be related to the locus
of work and its environment. Consistent with other research, a number of demographics, such as
education level, marital status, and age, are not linked to overall job satisfaction (Collins, 1990).
Also, and most interesting, is the notion that job autonomy, which is often viewed as defining the
basis for work and enhancing the professional worth for nurse practitioners like the CNM, is not
strongly supported by the findings of this study (Bruch & Capezuit, 1997). Only CNMs who are
employed in a private practice view job autonomy as related to overall job satisfaction.

2012 Survey Of Registered Nurses

JOB SATISFACTION, CAREER PATTERNS AND TRAJECTORIES

This study explores current career plans and trends, satisfaction levels and professional concerns
for registered nurses (RNs). In the next one to three years a considerable number of nurses may
pursue employment outside of nursing, shift to part-time roles, retire or otherwise modify their
career paths in some way, according to this report. As the economy continues to recover, issues
such as nursing retention and turnover within healthcare facilities, will be essential in planning
for future nurse staffing. Therefore, it is important to know how nurses truly perceive their
profession. Their candid feelings, expressed in these survey results, may influence their peers
and the next generation of nurses.

AMN Healthcare conducted its annual 2012 Survey of Registered Nurses to answer these and
related questions. The survey inquiries mirror those asked in the 2011 Survey of Registered
Nurses, and include a few new components. Data from previous surveys conducted in 2010 and
2011 are compared to the 2012 data in this report, unveiling some remarkable findings.

The 2012 survey offers a snapshot of current job satisfaction levels among nurses and also
indicates how the economic recovery may affect future career trajectories. The data suggest how
nurses currently view the quality of nursing care, and whether they believe healthcare reform
will help address the predicted nursing shortage. These results are offered as an information
resource for healthcare industry leaders, policy- makers, academics, staffing professionals,
analysts, and others who follow clinical staffing and supply trends.

The following data points provide background describing the current nursing supply and demand
situation:

• Nursing is the nation’s largest healthcare profession, with more than 3.1 million RNs
nationwide.

• Of all licensed RNs, 2.6 million or 84.8 percent are employed in nursing. That means about
500,000 licensed nurses don’t work in the nursing field, but potentially could do so.

• The nation’s ability to train new nurses to replace retiring nurses is significantlycompromised
by the limited number of faculty members at nurse training programs.

• According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), U.S. nursing schools
turned away 58,327 qualified applicants from entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs in
2011 (up from 52,115 in 2010) due to insufficient numbers of faculty, clinical sites, classrooms,
clinical preceptors and budget constraints.

• Almost two-thirds of the nursing schools cited faculty shortages as a reason for not accepting
all qualified applicants.
• AACN reported that there was a 5.1 percent enrollment increase in entry-level baccalaureate
programs in nursing in 2011, but this increase is not sufficient to meet the projected demand for
nursing services.

• The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 is projected to provide 32 million
Americans with access to healthcare services.

• In July 2010, the Tri-Council for Nursing cautioned about declaring an end to the nursing
shortage. The economic downturn led to an easing of the shortage in many parts of the country,
but the Tri-Council noted that the limitations of the nation’s education system will slow the
graduation of RNs. That, coupled with the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act, is projected to increase demand for nursing services.

• According to the projections released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), registered nurses
top the list of the 10 occupations with the largest projected job growth in the years of 2002-2012.
Although RNs have ranked among the top 10 growth occupations in the past, this is the first time
in recent history that RNs have ranked first.

• The total job openings, which include job growth and the net replacement of nurses, will be
more than 1.1 million. This growth, coupled with current trends of nurses retiring or leaving the
profession and few new nurses, could lead to a nursing shortage of more than one million nurses
by the end of this decade. (www.bls.gov/emp/#outlook)

• Current projections for 2025 indicate a shortage of 260,000 registered nurses (Dr. Peter
Buerhaus, ―The Recent Surge in Nurse Employment: Causes and Implications,‖ June 2009). A
shortage of this magnitude would be twice as large as any nursing shortage experienced in this
country since the mid-1960s.

KEY FINDINGS

AMN Healthcare’s 2012 Survey of Registered Nurses was conducted following an economic
recession and in the midst of an economic upswing, albeit not an aggressive recovery. In
addition, the first parts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 were being
implemented and more fully understood.

The survey reflects how RNs modified career plans due to the recession and how they have
begun to respond to the economic recovery. In addition, the survey addresses registered nurses’
perceptions of the impact of healthcare reform on the nursing shortage.

• Less than one-fifth (17%) of nurses plan to seek a new place of employment as the economy
recovers, a decline from the 24% who said they would seek a new place of employment in the
2011 survey.

• RNs are still more likely to be employed by a hospital where there is permanent employment.
However, down by 7% (total of 57%) from 2011. Thirty-one percent of nurses plan to take steps
in the next one to three years that would take them out of nursing altogether (by retiring or
seeking non-nursing jobs) or reduce the volume of clinical work they do (by switching to part-
time or less demanding roles).

• Sixty-six percent report that they will continue as they are, which is a significant rise from 55%
last year.

• A little less than half (40%) said they either would not recommend nursing as a career to young
people or were not sure that they would.

• Ninety-one percent of nurses are satisfied with their careers, up significantly from 2011.

• Yet, 44% would either hesitate about becoming a nurse or choose another career entirely if they
were making such a professional choice today.

o 38% Age 19-39 in 2012 as opposed to 34% in 2011

o 44% Age 40-54 in 2012 as opposed to 49% in 2011

o 48% Age 50+ in 2012 as opposed to 45% in 2011

• Four percent plan to work as travel nurses in the next one to three years, compared to 14% who
said that in 2011.

• Forty percent of nurses will pursue further education in nursing in the next 1-3 years.
METHODOLOGY

AMN Healthcare’s 2012 Survey of Registered Nurses was distributed via email to registered
nurses nationwide. Email surveys were sent to 88,288 RNs who are registered with the Internet
portals, NurseZone.com or RN.com. The survey was distributed to nurses in early April 2012,
and responses were accepted through April 27, 2012. The charts on the following pages provide
demographic information on those who completed the survey.

AMN Healthcare
www.amnhealthcare.com

Job satisfaction and its related factors: A questionnaire survey of hospital nurses
in Mainland China
Hong Lu_, Alison E. While, K. Louise Barriball
King’s College London, Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, James Clerk
Maxwell Building,
57 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8WA, England, UK
Received 26 January 2006; received in revised form 27 June 2006; accepted 13 July 2006

Background: The widespread nursing shortage is of concern in Mainland China and globally.
Factors underpinning the increased mobility of the nursing workforce and their contribution to
nurses’ turnover thus merit attention.
Understanding nurses’ job satisfaction is important, as this is a key factor in nurses’ turnover.
Objective: The study aimed to explore nurses’ views and experience regarding different
components of their working lives in Mainland China.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was selected and 512 nurses working in the medical
and surgical departments in two teaching hospitals in Beijing completed questionnaires yielding
a response rate of 81%.
Results: More than half of nurses (53.7%; n ¼ 275) were satisfied or very satisfied with their
jobs and 15% (n ¼ 77) felt moderate to extreme occupational stress. The majority of the sample
reported a high level of organizational commitment (63.7%; n ¼ 326) and professional
commitment (85.9%; n ¼ 440) and only 5.9% (n ¼ 30) and 10.0% (n ¼ 51), respectively
reported role conflict and role ambiguity often or very often. Nurses with a diploma or associate
degree reported greater professional commitment and a lower level of role conflict than those
with a bachelor degree (po0.05), but there were no significant differences in job satisfaction,
organizational commitment, occupational stress and role ambiguity by educational programme
(p40.05).
Conclusions: Hospital nurses’ positive feelings regarding their working lives may be influenced
by developments in the health care system and the nursing profession in Mainland China.
Nurses’ educational level is an influencing factor on nurses’ views and experiences of their
working lives with the findings suggesting the need to develop a clinical career ladder for
nursing staff in Mainland China.

Factors influencing stress and job satisfaction of nurses working in psychiatric

units: a research review.
1 2
Nakakis Konstantinos , Ouzouni Christina
1. Lecturer in Nursing, Technological Educational Institute of Lamia
2. Lecturer in Nursing, Technological Educational Institute of Lamia
HSJ – HEALTH SCIENCE JOURNAL® VOLUME 2, ISSUE 4 (2008)

Background: Mental health nursing has been reported as a stressful speciality, with low job
satisfaction.
Method: An extensive literature search was performed aiming to identify and review research
studies that investigate variables which influence stress and job satisfaction of nurses working in
mental health settings.
Results: This review shows that a variety of factors influence stress and job satisfaction of
mental health nurses. Among these, clinical leadership and quality inter-professional
collaboration between nurses and doctors and amongst nurses are particularly important. Nurses’
job satisfaction was found to be influenced primarily by psychological stress and the quality of
clinical leadership.
Conclusions: The influence of the quality of collaboration amongst nurses and between nurses
and doctors on nurses’ job satisfaction is uncertain. A strong negative relationship was found
between clinical leadership, inter-professional collaboration, stress and job satisfaction. Although
a positive relationship between clinical leadership and nurses' job satisfaction was found, the
association between clinical leadership and quality of inter-professional collaboration is unclear.
The association between these variables and job satisfaction is positive but tenuous. In addition,
a positive but weak relationship was revealed between the clinical leadership and the quality of
relationships amongst nurses. Organisational issues, lack of nursing staff and patient care were
found to be related to ward type mental health nurses’ stress emerged as mediating variables
between stress and job satisfaction. A hypothetical model of the relationships between these
variables is presented for testing at a future study.
Keywords: job satisfaction, stress, mental health nurses/nursing, psychiatric nursing/nurses.

Factors Which Influence Job Satisfaction in Nursing Assistants in Nursing

Homes

High turnover of nursing assisants in long term care facilities results in poor quality of care and
decreased quality of life for nursing home residents. Turnover is related to job satisfaction and
can be improved by improving job satisfaction.
The purpose of this project was first to explore the relationships between job satisfaction and
factors known to affect job satisfaction in an existing data set of 556 nursing assistants from 12
Maryland nursing homes. The second purpose of the project was to develop a guideline and user
friendly tool to assist Directors of Nursing in improving job satisfaction in their own facilities.
A multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the relationship between job
satisfaction and facility, age, gender, education, years of experience, self-esteem, self-efficacy
and outcome expectations for performance of restorative care activities, and observed
performance of restorative activities. A step wise approach was used. Three variables entered the
model, accounting for 7.1% of the variance in job satisfaction. The variables positively
associated with job satisfaction were length of experience as a nursing assistant and performance
of exemplary nursing care demonstrated through performance of restorative care. Self esteem
was negatively associated with job satisfaction. The remaining variables did not enter the model.
An evidence based guideline for evaluating and improving job satisfaction and reducing turnover
in nursing assistance was developed based on the study results and existing literature. Strategies
for improving job satisfaction which were proven to be effective were included. A three step,
checklist tool was developed from the guideline to assist administrative staff in the evaluation
and improvement of job satisfaction and turnover in their facility.
Enhancing job satisfaction and reducing turnover is a problem with multiple causes and multiple
potential solutions. For Directors of Nursing, shifting through the potential interventions can be
daunting. The guideline and tool can assist in addressing and resolving job satisfaction problems
and, through more satisfied nursing assistants, improve quality of care and quality of life for long
term care residents.

Factors Which Influence Job Satisfaction in Nursing Assistants in Nursing Homes

The United States is currently experiencing a shortage of nursing assistants (Collier &
Harrington, 2008). The average turnover of nursing assistants in nursing homes in the United
States is high, averaging 93% (Bowers, Esmond, & Jacobson, 2003).Turnover results in high
recruitment expenses, poor staffing ratios, and vacant positions in those facilities that care for our
nations’ elderly. Those nursing assistants who leave nursing facility employment seem to do so
due to poor job satisfaction. Over the last three decades, findings from numerous studies indicate
that job satisfaction is significantly associated with job turnover among nursing assistants
(Kennedy, 2005; Parsons, Simmons, Penn, & Furlough, 2003; Schur, Noelker, Looman,
Whitlatch, & Ejaz, 1998; Secrest, Iorio, & Martz, 2005; Squillace et. al., 2006; Claudill &
Patrick, 1989; Garland, Oyabu &Gipson, 1988). Job satisfaction in nursing assistants is also
related to client satisfaction in nursing home patients and families (Tellis-Nayak, 2007; Sikorska-
Simmons, 2006; Chou, Boldy & Lee, 2003).

Background and Purpose

The number of Americans in need of long term care is expected to double by 2050. Recruitment
and especially retention of nursing assistants is a priority for long term care providers (Squillace,
Remsburg, Bercovitz, Rosenoff, & Branden, 2006). Since nursing assistants are the members of
the long term care healthcare team who provide direct assistance for the personal care needs of
the patients, recruitment and especially retention of nursing assistants is a priority for long term
care providers (Squillace, Remsburg, Bercovitz, Rosenoff, & Branden). High turnover of nursing
assistants results in a poor quality of care and decreased quality of life among nursing home
residents (Castle, 2007; Collier, 2008; Castle, 2005; Schur, Noelker, Looman, Whitlatch, & Ejaz,
1998). Turnover and its relationship to quality of care could also be a factor in the relationship
between job satisfaction and patient and family satisfaction with nursing home care.
The issue of client and family satisfaction is becoming a crucial component in determining
quality in the nursing home culture change movement. Researchers in and out of health care
studying client satisfaction are finding correlation between client satisfaction and employee
satisfaction (Hallowell, Schlesinger & Zornitsky, 1996). In nursing homes, less job satisfaction
in larger nursing home units correlated with reduced quality of life measured by resident need for
physical and psychosocial assistance (Pekkarinen, Sinervo, Perala & Elovainio, 2004). Better
relationships and improved quality of life on units with nursing assistants satisfied with their jobs
could positively influence reports of client and family satisfaction.

Job satisfaction trends during nurses' early career

Trevor Murrells*, Sarah Robinson and Peter Griffiths

Background
Job satisfaction is an important component of nurses' lives that can impact on patient
safety, productivity and performance, quality of care, retention and turnover,
commitment to the organisation and the profession. Little is known about job
satisfaction in early career and how it varies for different groups of nurses. This paper
investigates how the components of job satisfaction vary during early career in newly
qualified UK nurses.

Methods
Nurses were sampled using a combined census and multi-stage approach (n = 3962).
Data were collected by questionnaire at 6 months, 18 months and 3 years after
qualification between 1998 and 2001. Scores were calculated for seven job
satisfaction components and a single item that measured satisfaction with pay. Scores
were compared longitudinally and between nursing speciality (general, children's,
mental health) using a mixed model approach.

Results
No single pattern across time emerged. Trends varied by branch and job satisfaction
component. Rank order of job satisfaction components, from high to low scores, was
very similar for adult and child branch nurses and different for mental health. Nurses
were least satisfied with pay and most satisfied with relationships at 6 and 18 months
and with resources (adult and child) and relationships (mental health) at 3 years.
Trends were typically upwards for adult branch nurses, varied for children's nurses
and downwards for mental health nurses.

Conclusion
The impact of time on job satisfaction in early career is highly dependent on
specialism. Different contexts, settings and organisational settings lead to varying
experiences. Future research should focus on understanding the relationships between
job characteristics and the components of job satisfaction rather than job satisfaction
as a unitary construct. Research that further investigates the benefits of a formal one
year preceptorship or probationary period is needed.

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6955/7/7

The Job Satisfaction of Finnish Nursing Staff: The Development of a Job

Satisfaction Scale and Survey Results
Tarja Kvist,1 Raija Mäntynen,1,2 Pirjo Partanen,1 Hannele Turunen,1,2 Merja
Miettinen,2,3 and Katri Vehviläinen-Julkunen1,2
1
Department of Nursing Science, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio Campus, P.O.
Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
2
Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. Box 1777, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
3
University of Tampere, 33014 Tampere, Finland
Received 8 February 2012; Revised 17 July 2012; Accepted 25 July 2012

Abstract

This paper describes the development of the Kuopio University Hospital Job Satisfaction Scale
(KUHJSS) and the results of the survey. The scale was developed through a systematic literature
review, and its validity and reliability were assessed using several psychometric properties
including expert evaluation (), a pilot survey (), and exploratory factor analysis. The final version
of KUHJSS included 37 items. A large sample psychometric evaluation was made by nursing
staff (). The exploratory factor analysis revealed seven factors with modest internal consistency
(0.64–0.92). The staff reported relatively high job satisfaction. The greatest satisfaction was
derived from motivating factors associated with the work; the least, from the job's demands.
Respondents who considered their working units to provide an excellent quality of care reported
the highest job satisfaction in every subarea (). The KUHJSS proved to be a reliable and valid
tool for measuring job satisfaction in hospital care.

Aims of the Study

The aims of this study were to

(1)develop a scale for assessing the job satisfaction of nursing staff and describe the process by
which this was accomplished,
(2)assess the job satisfaction of nursing staff using the newly-developed scale,
(3)identify differences in the job satisfaction of nursing staff in relation to demographic
variables.

Discussion

The first objective of this study was to develop a Job Satisfaction Scale for specialized health
care nursing staff and to describe the process by which this was accomplished. The second was
to use the newly developed scale to assess the job satisfaction of nursing staff, and the third was
to identify relationships between background variables and nurses’ job satisfaction. Although a
number of studies on job satisfaction among nurses have previously been conducted (e.g.,
[1, 33, 34]) and a wide range of scales have been developed in recent decades [30, 39],
developing of a Job Satisfaction Scale was useful in At Safe Hospital Project and it is giving
reliable measurement and results for further research and development work.

Conclusions

The objective of developing a reliable and valid Job Satisfaction Scale was achieved, and a 37-
item KUHJSS was developed. Responses to the scale provide an accurate and realistic picture of
job satisfaction among Finnish nursing staff. Nursing staff are generally satisfied with their jobs,
especially in terms of their motivation for work and their welfare at work. Job satisfaction was
clearly related to nurses’ perception of the quality of care provided by their working unit.
However, nursing leaders should pay more attention to nurse staffing levels and to providing
opportunities for nurses to combine their work and personal lives.

Factors contributing to nurse job satisfaction in the acute hospital setting : a

review of recent literature

Hayes, Bronwyn, Bonner, Ann, & Pryor, Julie (2010) Factors contributing to nurse job
satisfaction in the acute hospital setting : a review of recent literature. Journal of Nursing
Management, 18(7), pp. 804-814.

Aim
To explore and discuss from recent literature the common factors contributing to nurse job
satisfaction in the acute hospital setting.

Background
Nursing dissatisfaction is linked to high rates of nurses leaving the profession, poor morale, poor
patient outcomes and increased financial expenditure. Understanding factors that contribute to
job satisfaction could increase nurse retention.
Evaluation
A literature search from January 2004 to March 2009 was conducted using the keywords
nursing, (dis)satisfaction, job (dis)satisfaction to identify factors contributing to satisfaction for
nurses working in acute hospital settings.

Key issues
This review identified 44 factors in three clusters (intra-, inter- and extra-personal). Job
satisfaction for nurses in acute hospitals can be influenced by a combination of any or all of these
factors. Important factors included coping strategies, autonomy, co-worker interaction, direct
patient care, organizational policies, resource adequacy and educational opportunities.

Conclusions
Research suggests that job satisfaction is a complex and multifactorial phenomenon.
Collaboration between individual nurses, their managers and others is crucial to increase nursing
satisfaction with their job.

Implications for nursing management

Recognition and regular reviewing by nurse managers of factors that contribute to job
satisfaction for nurses working in acute care areas is pivotal to the retention of valued staff.

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/45324/
The influence of nurses’working motivation and job satisfaction on intention to
quit: an empirical investigation in Taiwan
Huey-Ming Tzeng*
Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, No. 1, Section 1, Hsueh-Chang Road, Ta-Hsu
Hsiang, Kaohsiung County 840, Taiwan
Received 21 August 2001; received in revised form 21 January 2002; accepted 22 April 2002

The present era of cost-containment pressures indicates that nursing executives have to ensure
that, their nurses have a work environment with the work characteristics known to be linked to
job satisfaction and good outcomes. The research hypothesis investigated here was: the higher
nurses’levels on general job satisfaction, overall satisfaction with their professional role, and
general job happiness, the lower their intention to quit would be. The controlling variables
included demographic characteristics, working motivation, and nine job satisfaction subscales.
This study was conducted in 3 hospitals located in southern Taiwan. All nurses working for these
3 hospitals were the target subjects.
The overall response rate (648 completed questionnaires) was 82%. The nurses’Job Satisfaction
and the perceptual degree of its importance questionnaire was used. Ordinal logistics regression
analyses were utilized. General job satisfaction, general job happiness, satisfaction with salary
and promotion, institution, educational background, and age of nurses’youngest child were
proved to be significant predictors of nurses’ intention to quit. Suggestions for future studies and
administrative strategies in decreasing nurses’intention to quit were discussed.r2002 Elsevier
Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction
A competitive healthcare market is indeed qualityoriented, and improving the quality of
healthcare services is a continuing challenge to managers in the healthcare industry. Similar to
the western societies, Taiwan’s healthcare industry became a cost-containing environment after
the government implemented the National Health Insurance System in 1995.
Methods
Subjects
This study was conducted in 3 hospitals located in southern Taiwan. These hospitals’nursing
administrators acted as members of the Human Subject Review committees. Committee
members reviewed this research proposal for approval, and assured having appropriate human
subject protection. The attached cover sheet indicated that all collected data would be used for
research purposes only. Data would be kept confidential, and subjects’identification will be
protected.
These 3 hospitals were located in the same demographic area. One of them is a Christian
teaching hospital (Hospital A), another one is a private-owned local hospital (Hospital B), and
the other one is a local, veteran’s hospital (Hospital C). Data were collected during the period
from December 1999 to March 2000. All the nurses working in these three institutions were the
target population (including the ones with managerial responsibilities, and excluding physician
assistants), for a total of 786 nurses. The questionnaire packages were sent to the nurse subjects
through the hospitals’ nursing departments. This questionnaire packages (included a letter
explaining the study purpose, a demographic information chart, a pre-stamped return envelope,
and a gift for appreciating subjects’participation) were disseminated to all nurses through
subjects’ managers. The completed questionnaire (in a sealed envelop) was returned to the
principal investigator by mail or through their nursing departments. Subjects participated in this
study voluntarily and anonymously.
The overall response rate (648 completed questionnaires) was 82%, and the correspondent rate
for each individual hospital ranged from 72% to 84%.

The nurses’ job satisfaction and the perceptual degree of its importance questionnaire
This questionnaire set was written in Mandarin, and only part of the items in this questionnaire
was utilized. There were a total of 48 items for measuring the levels of the nine job satisfaction
scales. Items were grouped into 9 scales: indirect working environment (6 items); direct working
environment (7 items); salary and promotion (7 items); self-growth (3 items); challenge in work
(6 items); interaction with and feedback from patients and family members (3 items); leadership
style (7 items); working atmosphere (7 items); and family support and religion (2 items).
Responses were given on a 5-point Likert scale: ranging from 1 (least satisfied) to 5 (most
satisfied), and 9 (not applicable). Three general perceptual factors (general job satisfaction,
overall satisfaction with professional roles, general job happiness) were rated from very satisfied
or very happy to very dissatisfied or very unhappy. The ordinal dependent variable, having
intention to quit, was rated into five categories: (1) Least agreeable, (2) disagreeable, (3) neutral,
(4) agreeable, and (5) most agreeable.
For the consistency of the tool, a test-retest method (2 weeks apart) was used. A total of 46 full-
time nurses participated in this test. The test-retest correlation coefficients on items were ranged
from 0.81 to 0.96. As for the reliability analyses, alpha coefficients were calculated using all the
valid subjects. Except for the satisfaction scale of family support and religion (alpha
coefficient=0.64), all the other alpha coefficients were ranged from 0.74 to 0.92. For each scale,
the mean value was calculated by averaging the valid values of the grouped items.

Data analyses
Data were entered and processed by using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS)
software, English version 10.0. Descriptive information for all included variables was presented.
Ordinal logistic regression analyses were utilized to develop a model of nurses’intention to quit.
The demographic characteristics were entered into the regression model first, followed by nine
job satisfaction scales, and three general job-related indicators at last. This procedure allowed us
to observe the changes on coefficients when more explanatory variables were added into the
equation.

Job satisfaction trends during nurses' early career

Trevor Murrells*, Sarah Robinson and Peter Griffiths
Published: 5 June 2008
BMC Nursing 2008, 7:7 doi:10.1186/1472-6955-7-7
Received: 24 September 2007
Accepted: 5 June 2008
This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6955/7/7

Background: Job satisfaction is an important component of nurses' lives that can impact on
patient safety, productivity and performance, quality of care, retention and turnover, commitment
to the organisation and the profession. Little is known about job satisfaction in early career and
how it varies for different groups of nurses. This paper investigates how the components of job
satisfaction vary during early career in newly qualified UK nurses.

Methods: Nurses were sampled using a combined census and multi-stage approach (n = 3962).
Data were collected by questionnaire at 6 months, 18 months and 3 years after qualification
between 1998 and 2001. Scores were calculated for seven job satisfaction components and a
single item that measured satisfaction with pay. Scores were compared longitudinally and
between nursing speciality (general, children's, mental health) using a mixed model approach.

Results: No single pattern across time emerged. Trends varied by branch and job satisfaction
component. Rank order of job satisfaction components, from high to low scores, was very
similar for adult and child branch nurses and different for mental health. Nurses were least
satisfied with pay and most satisfied with relationships at 6 and 18 months and with resources
(adult and child) and relationships (mental health) at 3 years. Trends were typically upwards for
adult branch nurses, varied for children's nurses and downwards for mental health nurses.

Conclusion: The impact of time on job satisfaction in early career is highly dependent on
specialism. Different contexts, settings and organisational settings lead to varying experiences.
Future research should focus on understanding the relationships between job characteristics and
the components of job satisfaction rather than job satisfaction as a unitary construct. Research
that further investigates the benefits of a formal one year preceptorship or probationary period is
needed.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Bainbridge, J. (2006). Birth Centers: What price maternal choice and professional autonomy.
British Journal of Midwifery, 14(1), 40.
 Bodur, S. (2002). Job satisfaction of health care staff employed at health Centers in Turkey.
Occupational Medicine, 52(6), 353-355.
 Bruch, B.L. and Capezuti, E.A. (1997). Professional autonomy: Essential for nurse
practitioner survival in the 21st century. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse
Practitioners, 9(6), 265-270.
 Cattrell, R, Lavender, T., Wallymahmed, A., Kingdon, C., & Riley, J. (2005). Postnatal care:
What matters to midwives. British Journal of Midwifery,13(2), 206-213.
 Collins, C. (1990). Job satisfaction of CNMs: Luxury or necessity? Journal of Nurse-
Midwifery, 35(4), 237-244.
 Cox, A., & McBride, A. (2004). Factors influencing turnover and retention of midwives and
consultants: A literature review. Health Services Management Research,17(4), 249-262.
 Cuesta, C. W., & Bloom, K. C. (1998). Mentoring and job Satisfaction: Perceptions of
certified nurse-midwives. Journal of Nurse-Midwifery, 43(2), 111-116.
 Lazarus, J., Rasch, V., & Liljestrand, A. (2005). Midwifery at the crossroads in Estonia:
Attitudes of midwives & other key stakeholders. Act Obstet Gynecol Scand, 84, 339-348.
 Mirmolae,l T., Dargahi, H., Kazemnejad A., & Mohajerrahbari, M. (2005). Job satisfaction
of midwives. Hyat, 2268, 97- 106.
 Oncel, S., Ozer, Z. C., & Efe, E. (2007). Work-related stress, burnout and job satisfaction in
Turkish midwives. Social Behavior and Personality, 35(3), 317-328.
 Schuiling, K. D., Sipe, T. A., & Fullerton, J. (2005). Findings from the analysis of the
American College of Nurse-Midwives’ membership survey 2000-2003. Journal of Midwifery
& Women’s Health, 50(1), 8-15.
 Watson, L., Potter, A., & Donohue, L. (1999). Midwives in Victoria, Australia: A survey of
current issues and job satisfaction. Midwifery, 15(5), 216-223.
1. Palas R Sen Gupta and Ajay Adhikari, ―Role stress among nurses‖The Icfai journal of
organisational behaviour, Vol.7, No. 1, ,2008
2. A.Kalai Selvi, ―Job satisfaction of hospital employees‖. HRD Times – March 2008
3. Neerpal Rathi and Renu Rastogi ― Job satisfaction and psychological well-being‖ The Icfai
university journal of organisational behaviour, Vol.7, No. 4, 2008
4. G Jegadeesan ―Job satisfaction: a conceptual framework‖ The Icfai journal of organisational
behaviour, Vol.6, No. 4, October 2007.
5. Dr G.K. Kochar and Abha Khetarpal ― Effect of age , Profession, Income and Marital status on
the stress and coping resources of women professionals.‖ A Research journal of Humanities and
Social Sciences Vol.3, No.1, June 2006
6. Koteswara Rao, PT Srinivasan and S George ―A study on organisatonal culture and its
relationship with job satisfaction in manufacturing and information technology sectors‖ The Icfai
journal of organisational behaviour, Vol.4, No. 1, January2005.
7. Dr. Naval Bajpal ―A study of job satisfaction in relation to experience of the employees,
region and pervasiveness of the organization.‖ The Icfai journal of organizational behaviour,
Vol.3, No. 4, October 2004.
8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_satisfacti on
9. http://www.managementhelp.org/prsn_wll/job_stfy.htm
10.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nursing
11.http://www.jcn.co.uk/journal.asp?
MonthNum=07&YearNum=2002&Type=backissue&ArticleID=486