A COMPARISON OF STAFF NURSE PERCEPTIONS OF JOB SATISFACTION IN THREE NURSING GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 233
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between governance system type and staff nurse job satisfaction. This research explored the differences between non-union nursing governance systems, state nurses association labor union governance and trade labor union governance. Comparative and correlational survey research designs were utilized.

Organizational culture theory guided the development of the conceptual framework for this research. Utilizing this perspective, it was hypothesized that the degree to which values are shared between the top administration of an organization and the workers in the organization affects job satisfaction. All other things being equal, the closer alignment of values leads to higher job satisfaction and the sharing of few or no values leads to lower satisfaction.

The primary data collection instrument for this study was the McCloskey-Mueller Satisfaction Scale (1989). In addition, staff nurse demographic data were collected. The chief nursing officers of the hospitals in which the staff nurses work were asked to provide turnover rates, vacancy rates and their own educational level.

Data were obtained anonymously from 165 staff nurses working in 36 American hospitals between 250 and 500 beds in size and with private, non-profit ownership status. The data revealed that there are differences in job satisfaction among nurses in the three types of governance systems. Nurses working in the state nurses association labor union governance had the highest overall raw satisfaction scores, non-union nurses had the intermediate level of scores and trade union nurses had the lowest scores. The only statistically significant difference, however, was between nurses in the state nurses association labor union governance and those working in the trade labor union environment.

The research findings support the conceptual framework predictions of higher job satisfaction in governance systems more closely acculturated with management. There is a greater sharing of values between nurses and management in the governance system types of non-union and state nurses association labor union than in the trade union type of governance. Lower job satisfaction is more likely to occur in more adversarial governance systems such as the trade labor union type.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-12, Section: B, page: 6220.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1992.

School code: 0227.