Job Satisfaction of Nurse Practitioners in Rural Health Care Settings

<p>Nurse practitioners (NPs) have become an important part of the primary health care system. They provide quality health care in a productive and economical manner. These NPs have become a great asset to underserved areas including rural communities. However, attracting and retaining these health care professionals greatly depends on their level of job satisfaction. After a literature search very little data was found pertaining to job satisfaction among rural nurse practitioners.<br> This non-experimental descriptive correlational study identified factors in the workplace related to rural NP job satisfaction. The factors addressed in this study were basic demographics, and satisfaction with the following factors; compensation, time spent in patient care, interpersonal support received from colleagues, autonomy, longevity, and collaboration with colleagues. A questionnaire based on current literature findings and designed by the researcher was used to gather data for this study. Ninety-one NPs who were employed in rural health care settings participated in the study.<br> A moderate relationship was found between satisfaction with the amount of compensation received and job satisfaction. No relationship was found between a nurse practitioner's satisfaction with the amount of time they spend in patient care and longevity. Only a weak relationship was found between a nurse practitioner's satisfaction with support received from clinical services and job satisfaction. No relationship was found between a nurse practitioner's satisfaction with autonomy in his or her current job and longevity. No relationship was found between a nurse practitioner's satisfaction with autonomy in his or her current job and collaboration with colleagues. A strong relationship was found between satisfaction with the amount of interpersonal support received from colleagues and job satisfaction. Only a moderate relationship was found between job satisfaction and mutual planning and collaboration with colleagues.<br> These findings will hopefully benefit both nurse practitioners as well as their colleagues and employers to help increase the level ofjob satisfaction among NPs. The results could help decrease costly turnover and increase the access to the high quality health care nurse practitioners have become known for.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - University Access Only

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Graduate Nursing

Year

1998

Author dc:creator

• Riewer, Ann

Contributors dc:contributor

• Margaret Hegge

• nurse pracitioner job satisfaction
• rural health services
• Nursing

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © 1999 Ann Riewer. All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/885

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:openprairie.sdstate.edu:etd-1885