THE EFFECTS OF PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOB STRESS AND JOB SATISFACTION AND JOB PERFORMANCE AMONG REGISTERED NURSES EMPLOYED IN ACUTE CARE FACILITIES.
Contributors: University of Pennsylvania. School of Nursing.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 204
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Research findings indicate that job stress, in the form of role conflict, role ambiguity, and role overload, will be negatively related to job satisfaction and job performance, and that job satisfaction and job performance may be associated. Though studies of industrial employees suggest that social support, from sources within and outside of the work place, may directly and indirectly affect the relationships among job stress, job satisfaction, and job performance, the role of social support in relation to nurses' job stress has received little attention. From this theoretical framework, fifteen hypotheses were formulated.

Registered Nurses employed in a university-affiliated medical center (N = 131) and a community hospital (N = 31) comprised the sample (N = 162). Participants completed the Job-Related Tensions scale, the Nurse Job Satisfaction Scale, and a modified version of the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire. A Performance Appraisal Tool was completed by the subject's immediate supervisor.

Job stress was found to be negatively related to job satisfaction. This relationship also was demonstrated among subsets of the sample. Only role overload and role conflict contributed to the variance in job satisfaction, with role overload exerting the greatest influence.

Predicted relationships between job stress and job satisfaction and job satisfaction and job performance were not upheld, except among selected sample subsets. Further, the direct and indirect effects of social support on the relationships among job stress, job satisfaction, and job performance were not demonstrated, though some evidence of these effects was found in selected sample subgroups but contrary to the direction hypothesized.

Comparisons of sample subsets according to specialty area of practice (critical care unit, general patient care unit), clinical area or practice (Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics, Pediatrics), and place of employment (medical center, community hospital) were conducted. Critical care nurses had higher levels of role conflict than nurses from general patient care units. No other discernible pattern of differences emerged between or among the subgroups.

Replication of the study was recommended with some changes in methodology. In addition, a qualitative investigation was suggested to determine, from a staff nurse's perspective, factors that influence job stress, job satisfaction, and job performance.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-06, Section: B, page: 2123.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL OF NURSING, 1988.

School code: 0839.