Paper
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
642
Correlates of Self-Perceived Job Satisfaction among Licensed Vocational and Registered Nurses
Veronikia D. Lee, RN, MSN, MBA, CNOR1, Kenn M. Kirksey, RN, PhD, APRN, BC2, and Mary Bossier-Bearden, RN, MBA, CNA, BC1. (1) Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital, Harris County Hospital District, Houston, TX, USA, (2) Department of Nursing Research, Harris County Hospital District, Houston, TX, USA
Learning Objective #1: The learner will be able to identify socidemographic factors that impact job satisfaction among RNs and LVNs. |
Learning Objective #2: The learner will be able to describe significant factors related to job satisfaction among RNs and LVNs. |
A myriad of factors influence nursing job satisfaction, resulting in challenges to resolve nursing shortage and retention issues within healthcare organizations. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among select predictor variables and self-perceived job satisfaction among nurses. The study was approved by a local university Institutional Review Board.
Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive, correlational design was used in a convenience sample of RNs and LVNs, employed by a large, public healthcare hospital system. Standardized instruments, with well established validity and reliability were used to measure autonomy, leadership behaviors, self-efficacy, shared governance, and job satisfaction.
Results: Significant positive correlations existed between autonomy and the influence of leadership behaviors (r=0.273, p=0.001, n=259), leadership behaviors and job satisfaction (r=0.564, p=0.000, n=257), and shared governance and job satisfaction (r=0.287, p=0.000, n=251). A negative correlation (r=-0.201, p=0.001, n=254) was identified between the sociodemographic characteristic of income and job satisfaction. No significant correlation existed between self-efficacy and job satisfaction. However, a significant positive correlation (r=0.486, p=0.022, n=22) was identified between autonomy and self-efficacy among the LVNs.
Implications: Findings from this research have the potential to enhance the scientific knowledge base related to common factors that may impact nurses and their work environment. This study has the potential to influence the integration of characteristics conceptualized in shared governance models within public hospital systems.