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Job satisfaction and associated variables among nurse assistants working in residential care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2012

Anneli Orrung Wallin ,
Ulf Jakobsson  and
Anna-Karin Edberg
Anneli Orrung Wallin*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Ulf Jakobsson
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden Center for Primary Health Care Research, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Anna-Karin Edberg
Affiliation:
Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden The Swedish Institute for Health Sciences, Vårdalinstitutet, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Anneli Orrung Wallin, Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, P.O. Box 157, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden. Phone: +46 46 222 19 23; Fax: +46 46 222 19 34. Email: anneli.orrung_wallin@med.lu.se.
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Abstract

Background: While the work situation for nurse assistants in residential care is strenuous, they themselves often state that they are satisfied with their job. More knowledge is clearly needed of the interrelationship of variables associated with job satisfaction. This study aims to investigate job satisfaction and explore associated variables among nurse assistants working in residential care.

Methods: A total of 225 respondents completed a questionnaire measuring general job satisfaction, satisfaction with nursing-care provision and measures concerning person-centered care, work climate, leadership, and health complaints. Job satisfaction was the outcome measure and comparisons were made among those reporting low, moderate, and high levels of job satisfaction; multiple regression analyses were used to explore associated variables.

Results: The caring climate and personalized care provision were associated with general job satisfaction. High levels of satisfaction with nursing-care provision were also associated with the general work climate, organizational and environmental support, and leadership. Low job satisfaction was mainly associated with health complaints.

Conclusions: Nurse assistants working in a positive work climate, caring climate, with a positive attitude to their leaders, who receive organizational and environmental support, provide person-centered care and experience a higher degree of job satisfaction. It seems essential, however, to include both general and context-specific measures when investigating job satisfaction in this field as they reveal different aspects of the nurse assistant's work situation.

Keywords

work satisfactionnursesaged careperson-centered carework climateleadershipquestionnairescross-sectional
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 24 , Issue 12 , December 2012 , pp. 1904 - 1918
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2012

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