title: [A pilot study of the professional autonomy, job satisfaction, and related factors of nurses at a regional hospital].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Professional autonomy often causes confusion in nursing staffs that limit their ability to perform to the best of their professional capabilities. Moreover, heavy and busy workloads reduce the energy available for work resulting in lower working efficiency and lower job satisfaction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study explores the status and factors related to professional autonomy and job satisfaction in nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional design was used to target the nurses employed at a regional hospital in southern Taiwan. Data on locus of control, professional autonomy, and job satisfaction were collected for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were collected from 207 nurses, with 196 valid responses (response rate: 94.69%). One hundred and forty-six subjects (74.5%) were found to have an internal locus of control personality type. Scores for both professional autonomy and job satisfaction were above the "moderate" level (averages: 3.37 and 3.32, respectively, on a maximum scale of 5). Social demographic differences contributed to the variance in professional autonomy and job satisfaction among participants. Professional autonomy was found to be positively associated with job satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study indicate that nurses with an internal locus of control personality exhibit higher professional autonomy and job satisfaction and that higher professional autonomy is associated with higher job satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Ma-Doll Sin-Lau Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Lin-Chu
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Somatics and Sport Leisure Industry, National Taitung University, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Suh-Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Maa
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Health Care, Meiho Institute of Technology, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Tieh-Chi
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Ma-Doll Sin-Lau Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Kuei-Hsiang
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Ma-Doll Sin-Lau Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Ming-Chu
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Health Care, Meiho Institute of Technology, Taiwan, ROC. x00002198@meiho.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chiung-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017009:Professional Autonomy
keywords: job satisfaction; locus of control; professional autonomy