Job Satisfaction and Mobility of Nursing Educators

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Abstract
In a study to determine nursing educators' perceptions of the general importance of given job characteristics to job satisfaction, a three-part questionnaire was sent to nursing educators in the 13 western states. The first section collected data on demographic variables, such as age and sex, which were correlated with perception of importance of job characteristics and job satisfaction. In the second section, the respondent rated the importance of job factors to job satisfaction and indicated his satisfaction with each factor in his present position. Section three contained open-ended questions about how nursing educators learn about available teaching positions, what job characteristics are given the most consideration before accepting a position, and reasons for resignations. Analysis of the data was accomplished through the use of Cooley and Lohnes' multivariate analysis of data package. Findings included: Personal contact with the institution and friends were frequent means of learning about positions in general and the position obtained in particular. Salary and geographic location were given the most consideration when choosing a job. Factor analysis showed that nursing educators ranked intrinsic factors such as responsibility, achievement, academic freedom, and autonomy as more important than extrinsic factors such as faculty club, lounge, and dining room. They tended to be more satisfied with the reputation of the school and their job security and less satisfied with promotion policies and class size. An open organizational climate was correlated with satisfaction with numerous job characteristics. Conversely, a closed organizational climate was correlated with dissatisfaction with those variables. The more generally satisfied a person was, the more likely that person was to remain with the institution. Conversely, one tended to be generally dissatisfied, if he was not satisfied with the variables, and was more likely to leave the institution. The characteristics of being a young, junior faculty member were correlated with planning to leave a first position because of dissatisfaction. Several canonical correlations indicated that educators tended to be dissatisfied with what they felt was important and satisfied with what they did not feel was important.

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