Job satisfaction in nursing: a concept analysis study

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to undertake a concept analysis of job satisfaction in the nursing profession.

Background: Around current global shortage of nurses, it is important to stabilize the nursing workforce. Nurses' job satisfaction has been found to be related to intention to leave.

Introduction: In the nursing profession, there is a lack of evidence to support the attributes of nurses' job satisfaction.

Methods: Walker and Avant's approach of concept analysis was used.

Results: The main attributes of job satisfaction from this study are (1) fulfillment of desired needs within the work settings, (2) happiness or gratifying emotional responses towards working conditions, and (3) job value or equity. These attributes are influenced by antecedent conditions like demographic, emotional, work characteristics and environmental variables. Additionally, the consequences of nurses' job satisfaction have a significant impact on both nurses and patients.

Discussion: This study integrated both the content and process of motivational theories to generate the attributes of job satisfaction in nursing that overcome the limitation of the previous studies, which looked only at the definitions of nurses' job satisfaction based on content motivational theories.

Conclusion and implications for nursing and health policy: The findings of this study can facilitate both nursing researchers to develop a cultural adaption instrument and policy makers to improve clinical nursing practice. This analysis provides nurse managers with a new perspective to deal with nurses' job satisfaction by taking into account all the attributes that influence it in the nursing field.

Keywords: Concept Analysis; Job Satisfaction; Nursing.