Exploring the profiles of nurses' job satisfaction in Macau: results of a cluster analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether definable subtypes exist within a cohort of nurses with regard to factors associated with nurses' job satisfaction patterns and to compare whether these factors vary between nurses in groups with different profiles.


BACKGROUND
Globally, the health care system is experiencing major changes and influence nurses' job satisfaction and may ultimately affect the quality of nursing care for patients.


METHODS
A descriptive survey.


METHODS
Data were collected using a self-reported structured questionnaire. Nurses were recruited in two hospitals in Macao. Two main outcome variables were collected: Predisposing characteristics and five components on job satisfaction outcomes.


RESULTS
A cluster analysis yielded two clusters (n = 649). Cluster 1 consisted of 60.6% (n = 393) and Cluster 2 of 39.4% (n = 256) of the nurses. Cluster 1 nurses were younger, more educated and had less work experience and more intention to change their career than nurses in Cluster 2. Cluster 2 nurses had more work experiences, were of more senior grade and were more satisfied with their current job in terms of peer supports, autonomy and professional opportunities, scheduling and relationships with team members than nurses in Cluster 1.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings might help by providing important information for health care managers to identify strategies/methods to target a specific group of nurses in hopes of increasing their job satisfaction levels.


CONCLUSIONS
As a long-term investment, hospital management has to promote work environments that support job satisfaction to attract nurses and thereby improve the quality of nursing care. The results of this study might provide hospital managers with a model to design specified interventions to improve nurses' job satisfaction.
Chan
Moon Fai
MF
Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, National University of Singapore, Singapore. nurcmf@nus.edu.sg
Leong
Sok Man
SM
Luk
Andrew Leung
AL
Yeung
Siu Ming
SM
Van
Iat Kio
IK
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008256:Macau; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires