Exploring job satisfaction, role issues, and supervisor support of associate degree nursing program directors.
OBJECTIVE
This article reports findings from a National League for Nursing-funded research study that examined factors in the psychosocial work environment of academic program directors.


BACKGROUND
Vacant nursing academic leadership positions continue to rise and remain unfilled for extensive time periods. No recent study has looked at this issue from a national perspective.


METHODS
An exploratory, descriptive, correlational design with a convenience sample of academic administrators was obtained from NLNAC-accredited programs. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II was the primary instrument used in the study.


RESULTS
Academic administrators (N = 242; response rate: 41.2 percent) validated concerns of increasing position turnover; 59 percent indicated that they were in their current positions for less than five years. Statistically significant correlations were found between job satisfaction, work/family life, role concerns, social support, and recognition.


CONCLUSIONS
Proactive interventions are needed to ensure manageable workloads for those in these essential positions.
Ronda D
RD
Mintz-Binder
D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004507:Education, Nursing, Associate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States