Job Satisfaction Among Critical Care Nurses: A Systematic Review of Contributing Factors, Individual and Organizational

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to conduct a systematic review of studies on critical care nurses’ job satisfaction. Specific research questions addressed were: 1) What are the conceptual definitions and theories of job satisfaction that are used in studies of critical care nurses?; 2) What instruments have been used to quantitatively measure and operationally define job satisfaction among critical care nurses?; 3) What is the level of job satisfaction among critical care nurses?; and 4) What factors are correlated to critical care nurses’ job satisfaction? Sixty-one studies were identified from five electronic databases. Definitions and theories of job satisfaction were inconsistent or absent in the literature. Forty-two different quantitative measures of job satisfaction were identified. The weighted mean job satisfaction score for critical care nurses was 56% and demonstrated a cyclical trend over time. Operating room and other (labour and delivery, pediatric, and neonatal) critical care, and undefined critical care nurses reported lower levels of job satisfaction compared to emergency and mixed critical care nurses. The following factors showed positive significant relationships to critical care nurses’ job satisfaction in four or more studies: shift worked, autonomy, personnel resources and staffing, and teamwork and cohesion. One factor, job stress showed a positive and negative significant relationship to critical care nurses’ job satisfaction depending on the study. Only one factor explored in the included studies (burnout emotional exhaustion) showed a negative significant relationship with job satisfaction. These factors hold promise as targets for critical care nurse job satisfaction interventions.