Objectives
To identify supervisory factors related to job satisfaction among certified nursing
assistants (CNAs). Although this topic has been studied at the facility and state
levels, it has not previously been addressed in a nationally representative sample.
Design
Cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey,
conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Setting
Nationally representative sample of nursing homes (n = 790).
Participants
Eight randomly selected CNAs from each nursing home, 4 who had been at that job for
less than 1 year and 4 at the job for a year or more (n = 3011). Analysis was limited
to 2897 individuals working at the same facility when interviewed.
Measures
Job satisfaction was measured by a 6-item score addressing workplace morale, challenging
work, benefits, salary or wages, learning new skills, and overall satisfaction. Characteristics
of the work environment included supervisor behavior, time pressures, organizational
climate, perception that the CNA's work was valued, and whether the CNA principally
cared for the same residents.
Results
In adjusted analysis, organizational climate, supervisor behavior, sufficient time
for tasks, and being valued were positively associated with job satisfaction, as were
hourly earnings.
Conclusions
Clear communication from supervisors and evidence that the CNA function is valued
were associated with job satisfaction. Specific strategies, such as merit raises and
job design, may increase job satisfaction.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 08, 2010
Footnotes
The authors have no conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 American Medical Directors Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
