JOB SATISFACTION, WORK EXCITEMENT AND SOCIAL CLIMATE FACTORS INFLUENCING NURSES' INTENT TO STAY (NURSE RETENTION).
Contributors: Virginia Commonwealth University.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 214
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Industrial.; Sociology, Industrial and Labor Relations.
Description: The primary purpose of this research was to identify factors influencing a nurse's intent to stay. The theoretical framework was March and Simon's Theory of Participation. This research incorporated organizational tenure and the work-related factors of social climate, work excitement, work frustration and job satisfaction as factors likely to predict intent to stay. Social climate was measured using a researcher modified version of Moos' Work Environment Scale (WES$\sp\copyright$), work excitement and work frustration were measured using a Nurse Characteristics Scale from Simms, job satisfaction was measured using the McCloskey/Mueller Satisfaction Scale (MMSS$\sp\copyright$), and intent to stay was measured with McCain's Behavioral Commitment Scale. Data were collected from 205 registered staff nurses working in one of two large, not-for-profit health systems located in a southeast metropolitan region. Data were analyzed using path model techniques with LISREL 7.

Results indicated that job satisfaction was the strongest, direct predictor of intent to stay (r =.319). Social climate and organizational tenure also directly affected intent to stay, but to a lesser extent. Social climate provided a strong indirect effect on intent to stay through the variable of job satisfaction (r =.418), but its direct effect on intent to stay was weaker (r =.237). Organizational tenure had indirect effects on intent to stay through the variables of work excitement and work frustration. In addition, work excitement and work frustration interact with job satisfaction in this model to indirectly affect intent to stay. All path coefficients were significant and the total explained variance for this model was 38%. In essence, this research demonstrated that the direct positive relationship between job satisfaction and intent to stay is important, but the interaction effects of social climate (R$\sp2$ =.513), work excitement (R$\sp2$ =.288) and work frustration (R$\sp2$ =.312) in the background also affect intent to stay. Conclusions drawn from this study were that accurate indicators of intent to stay will not be captured with measures of job satisfaction alone. Organizational effects, such as those measured by social climate, work frustration and work excitement are background forces that need to be considered along with job satisfaction.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-11, Section: B, page: 5601.

Thesis (PH.D.)--VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, 1993.

School code: 2383.