Download - ADVANCE for NPs & PAs

Professional IssuesJob SatisfactionWhat makes a difference to NPs?By Rebecca Ann Priebe, MSN, ACNP-BC➼ The recruitment and retentionof nurse practitioners is an importantissue in primary care. Employers’ successin attracting and retaining qualifiedNPs depends on NP job satisfaction. 1 Itis beneficial for employers to understandwhat factors keep NPs in their jobs. 2PurposeThis study sought to examine factorsthat contribute to NP job satisfactionand dissatisfaction. The study exploredan array of intrinsic and extrinsic factorsusing the Misener Nurse Practitioner JobSatisfaction Scale. The specific researchquestions addressed were:1. What factors do NPs perceive ascontributing to their job satisfaction?2. What factors do NPs perceive ascontributing to their job dissatisfaction?3. Do NPs perceive intrinsic factorsas satisfiers or dissatisfiers?4. Do NPs perceive extrinsic factorsas satisfiers or dissatisfiers?5. Is job satisfaction linked with age,length of NP certification and length ofemployment?Conceptual FrameworkThe Herzberg two-factor theory is theconceptual framework that guided thisresearch study. 2 Herzberg hypothesizedthat job satisfaction and job dissatisfactionare represented on two separatecontinuums. Employees may be satisfiedwith some aspects of their jobs and dissatisfiedwith others. 2 He suggested thatfactors of satisfaction are intrinsic factors,which he identified as achievement,recognition, work itself, responsibilityand advancement. He suggested thatfactors of dissatisfaction are extrinsic;they include working conditions, interpersonalrelationships, salary, security,administration and supervision. 3In this study, I used Herzberg’s theoryto operationalize the Misener NursePractitioner Job Satisfaction Scale. Thisscale incorporates the intrinsic andextrinsic factors proposed by Herzbergto assess job satisfaction among NPs.Related LiteratureBullough 4 initiated research about jobsatisfaction among pediatric NPs at theUniversity of California. The longitudinalstudy surveyed 17 NP students about satisfactionat the start of their program andthen 1 year after graduation. The researchdocumented no significant differencebetween the participants’ pre- and posttestopinions. All but one replied that theywere equally if not more satisfied withtheir NP role after graduation. The authorconcluded that intrinsic factors positivelycorrelated with job satisfaction. 4More recent research has identifiedspecific factors contributingto satisfaction and dissatisfactionwith NP jobs. A study byKoelbel et al. 1 used the Indexof Job Satisfaction and theMinnesota SatisfactionQuestionnaire to measureglobal, general, intrinsicand extrinsic factorsin NP job satisfaction.These researchers determinedsatisfaction to berelated to increased professionalism,performinginteresting and challengingwork, assuming more responsibility, experiencingachievement, receiving recognition,and having potential for growth.Koelbel et al. identified factors relatedto dissatisfaction as salary limitations,poor working conditions, questionable jobsecurity, poor coworker relationships andthe constraints of policies. In this sampleof 146 NPs, the researchers reportedthat intrinsic factors were sources of jobsatisfaction, and extrinsic factors weresources of job dissatisfaction. Ninetypercent of NPs were satisfied with theirjobs, regardless of extrinsic factors.More recently, a study by De Milt etal. 5 examined the relationship betweenNP satisfaction and turnover. This crosssectional,descriptive study included 254NPs and used the Misener scale and theAnticipated Turnover Scale to analyzecurrent job satisfaction and the NPs’jeffrey leeserRebecca Ann Priebe is an acute care nurse practitioner at Pulmonary MedicineAssociates in Warren, Mich. She has completed a disclosure statement and reportsno relationships related to this article.38 ADVANCE for NPs & PAs