Job satisfaction of nursing assistants.
OBJECTIVE
This secondary data analysis explored factors influencing job satisfaction in a sample of nursing assistants employed in Maryland skilled nursing facilities.


BACKGROUND
Multiple factors have been shown to affect job satisfaction and turnover in nursing assistants (NAs), but the problem of turnover persists in skilled nursing facility environments affecting quality of care.


METHODS
An existing data set of 556 nursing assistants from 12 Maryland skilled nursing facilities was used. To explore factors found to influence job satisfaction from other studies, a multiple regression analysis was performed.


RESULTS
Nine dependent variables previously shown to affect job satisfaction were used. Of these variables, only years of experience (β = .230) and performance of restorative care (β = .095) were found to be positively associated with job satisfaction. Self-esteem (β = -.094) was found to be negatively associated with job satisfaction.


CONCLUSIONS
Only length of experience and exemplary care as evidenced by the performance of restorative care were associated with job satisfaction. These results mirror results found in other studies. Self-esteem was negatively associated with job satisfaction in this population, a finding needing further study.
Department of Nursing, Towson University, Maryland 21252, USA. nan.lerner@verizon.net
Nancy
N
Lerner
Barbara
B
Resnick
Elizabeth
E
Galik
Linda
L
Flynn
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities