A study of nurses’ job satisfaction: The relationship to professional commitment and friendship networks

Abstract

We suggest that employees’ job satisfaction has relationship to friendship network other than professional commitment, and argue that friendship network in the same ward and across wards will have different effects on employees’ job satisfaction. A cross-sectional survey design utilizing questionnaires was selected to fulfill the research objectives. All of the 405 nurses in the En Chou Kong Hospital were surveyed. Three hundred and three nurses completed the questionnaire representing a response rate of 74.8%. The instruments included friendship network nomination, professional commitment scale, and nurses’ job satisfaction scale (NJSS). The regression model of job satisfaction was constructed, using friendship network variables in the ward and across wards and professional commitment as independent variables. R square for each model is 0.22-0.36 for the four dimensions of job satisfaction. Professional commitment is the robust predictor. The efficiency of friendship network in the ward is a good predictor, while it is negative related to satisfaction of work load. Further, the indegree in the ward is negative related to work load. Implication was discussed.

Share and Cite:

Yang, L. , Yang, H. , Chen, H. , Chang, M. , Chiu, Y. , Chou, Y. and Cheng, Y. (2012) A study of nurses’ job satisfaction: The relationship to professional commitment and friendship networks. Health, 4, 1098-1105. doi: 10.4236/health.2012.411167.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] Berman, E.M., West, J.P. and Richter, M.N. (2002) Workplace relations: Friendship patterns and conesquences (according to managers). Public Administration Reviews, 62, 217-230. doi:10.1111/0033-3352.00172
[2] Morrison, R. (2004) Information relationships in the workplace: Association with job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intentions. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 33, 114-128.
[3] Riordan, C.M. and Griffeth, R.W. (1995) The opportunity for friendship in the workplace: An underexplored construct. Journal of Business and Psychology, 10, 141-154. doi:10.1007/BF02249575
[4] Winstead, B.A., Derlega, V.J., Montgomery, M.J. and Pilkington, C. (1995) The quality of friendships at work and job satisfaction. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 12, 199-215. doi:10.1177/0265407595122003
[5] Johnston, C.L. (1997) Changing care patterns and registered nurse job satisfaction. Holistic Nursing Practice, 11, 69-77.
[6] Lu, H., While, A.E. and Barriball, K.L. (2005) Job satisfaction among nurses: A literature review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 42, 211-227. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2004.09.003
[7] Lu, H., Barriball, K.L., Zhang, X. and While, A.E. (2011) Job satisfaction among hospital nurses revisited: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 49, 1017-1038. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2011.11.009
[8] Irving, G.P., Coleman, D.F. and Cooper, C.L. (1997) Further assessments of a three-component model of organizational commitment: Generalizability and differences across occupations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82, 444-452. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.82.3.444
[9] Fang, Y. (2001) Turno-ver propensity and its causes among Singapore nurses: An empirical study. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 12, 859- 871. doi:10.1080/09585190110047875
[10] Lu, K.-Y., Lin, P.-L. Wu, C.-M., Hsieh, Y.-L. and Chang, Y.-Y. (2002) The relationship among turnover intentions, professional commitment, and job satisfaction of hospital nurses. Journal of Professional Nursing, 18, 214-219. doi:10.1053/jpnu.2002.127573
[11] Harrison, D.A., Newman, D.A. and Roth, P.L. (2006). How important are job attitudes? Meta-analytic comparesons of integrative behavioral outcomes and time sequences. Academy of Management Journal, 49, 305-325. doi:10.5465/AMJ.2006.20786077
[12] Ahmadi, K.S., Speedling, E.J. and Kuhn-Weissman, G. (1987) The newly hired hospital staff nurse’s professionalism, satisfaction and alienation. Internal Journal of Nursing Studies, 24, 107-121. doi:10.1016/0020-7489(87)90053-8
[13] Takase, M., Oba, K. and Yamashita, N. (2009) Generational differences in factors influencing job turnover among Japanese nurses: An exploratory comparative design. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 46, 957- 967. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2007.10.013
[14] Bjorvell, H. and Brodin, B. (1992) Hospital staff mem- bers are satisfied with their jobs. Scandinavia Journal of Caring Sciences, 6, 9-16.
[15] Price, J.L. (2001) Reflections on the determinants of voluntary turnover. International Journal of Manpower, 22, 600-624. doi:10.1108/EUM0000000006233
[16] Chang, F.M., Lin, C.J., Kuo, H.W., Teng, Y.K. and Lee, J.N. (1995) Appraisal and satisfaction among staff nurses in the health stations of Taiwan province. China Journal of Public Health, 14, 78-87.
[17] Bjork, I.T., Samdal, G.B. Hansen, B.S., Torstad, S. and Hamilton, G.A. (2007) Job satisfaction in a Norwegian population of nurses: A questionnaire survey. Interna- tional Journal of Nursing Studies, 44, 747-757. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.01.002
[18] Hodson, R. (1997) Group relations at work: Solidarity, conflict and relations with management. Work and Occupations, 24, 426-452. doi:10.1177/0730888497024004003
[19] Granovetter, M. (1974) Getting a job: A study of contacts and careers. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
[20] Lin, N., Ensel, W. and Vaughn, J. (1981) Social resources and strength of ties: Structural factors in occupational status attainment. American Soci-ological Review, 46, 393-405. doi:10.2307/2095260
[21] Flap, H.D. and de Graaf, N.D. (1986) Social capital and attained occupational status. Netherlands Journal of Sociology, 22, 145-161.
[22] Coleman, J.S. (1990) Foundations of social theory. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
[23] Burt, R.S. (1992) Structural holes: The structure of competition. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
[24] Burt, R.S. (1997) The con-tingent value of social capital. Administrative Science Quarterly, 42, 339-364. doi:10.2307/2393923
[25] Pfeffer, J. and Salancik, G.R. (1978) The external control of organizations: A resource dependence perspective. Harper & Row, New York.
[26] Kotter, J.P. (1982) What effective general managers really do. Harvard Business Review, 60, 156-167.
[27] Gulati, R. (1995) Social structure and alliance formation patterns: A longitudinal analysis. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40, 619-652. doi:10.2307/2393756
[28] Walker, G., Kogut, B. and Shan, W.J. (1997) Social capital, structural holes and the formation of an industry network. Organization Science, 8, 109. doi:10.1287/orsc.8.2.109
[29] Gulati, R. and Gargiulo, M. (1999) Where do interiorganizational networks come from? American Journal of Sociology, 104, 1439-1493. doi:10.1086/210179
[30] Coleman, J.S. (1988) Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of Sociology, 94, S95- S120. doi:10.1086/228943
[31] Lin, C.J., Wang, H.C., Li, T.C. and Huang, L.C. (2007) Reliability and validity of nurses’ job satisfaction scale and nurses’ professional commitment. Mid-Taiwan Jour- nal of Medicine, 12, 65-75.
[32] Nunnally, J.C. (1978) Psychometric Theory. McGraw- Hill, New York.
[33] Borgatti, S.P., Everett, M.G. and Freeman, L.C. (2002) UCINET 6 for Windows: Software for social network analysis. Analytic Technologies, Harvard.
[34] Seers, A. (1989) Team-member exchange quality: A new construct for role-making research. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 43, 118-135. doi:10.1016/0749-5978(89)90060-5
[35] Seers, A., Petty, M.M. and Cashman, J.F. (1995) Teammember exchange under team and traditional management. Group and Organization Management, 20, 18-38. doi:10.1177/1059601195201003
[36] Festinger, L. (1954) A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7, 117-140. doi:10.1177/001872675400700202
[37] Aryee, S. and Tan, K. (1992) Antecedents and outcomes of career commitment. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 40, 288-305. doi:10.1016/0001-8791(92)90052-2
[38] Bedeian, A.G. and Kemery, E.R. (1991) Career commitment and expected utility of present job as predictors of turnover intention and turnover behavior. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 39, 331-343. doi:10.1016/0001-8791(91)90042-K
[39] Blau, G. and Lunz, M. (1998) Testing the incremental effect of professional commitment on intent to leave one’s profession beyond the effects of external, personal, and work-related variables. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 52, 260-269. doi:10.1006/jvbe.1997.1601
[40] Chang, E. (1999) Career commitment as a complex mod- erator of organizational commitment and turnover intention. Human Relations, 52, 1257-1278. doi:10.1023/A:1016908430206
[41] Cohen, A. (1998) An examination of the relationship between work commitment and work outcomes among hospital nurses. Scandinavia Journal of Management, 14, 1-17. doi:10.1016/S0956-5221(97)00033-X
[42] Cohen, A. (1999) Relationships among five forms commitment: An empirical assessment. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 20, 285-308. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1099-1379(199905)20:3<285::AID-JOB887>3.0.CO;2-R
[43] McPherson, M., Smith-Lovin, L. and Cook, J.M. (2001) Birds of a feather: Homophily in social networks. Annual Review of Sociology, 27, 415-444. doi:10.1146/annurev.soc.27.1.415
[44] Huston, T.L. and Levinger, G. (1978) Interpersonal attrac- tion and relationships. Annual Review of Psychology, 29, 115-156. doi:10.1146/annurev.ps.29.020178.000555
[45] Portes, A. and Sensenbrenner, J. (1993) Embeddedness and immigration: Notes on the social determinants of economic action. American Journal of Sociology, 98, 1320-1350. doi:10.1086/230191
[46] Kostova, T. and Roth, K. (2003) Social capital in multi-national corporations and a micro-macro model of its formation. Academy of Management Review, 29, 297-317. doi:10.5465/AMR.2003.9416356
[47] Wasserman, S. and Faust, K. (1994) Social network analysis: Methods and applications. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511815478

Copyright © 2024 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.