Assessment of Job Satisfaction in Nurses: Contributions to Health Management

Background: Evidence reflects that job satisfaction is an indicator of the quality of health care. Health managers and decision-makers cannot neglect its importance and should promote organizational interventions for its assessment and improvement. Objective: This study aims to (i) compare the job satisfaction experienced by nurses with the one desired (ii) identify the lowest areas of current satisfaction and (iii) reflect in areas of lowest and higher job satisfaction. Method: A descriptive study carried out in September 2021 with thirty oncology nurses, who were asked to fill out an electronic questionnaire with the professional life wheel coaching tool. This coaching diagnostic tool assesses the current satisfaction level and the desired satisfaction level from 1 to 10. The inquired areas were: salary, career progression, relationships with managers, relationships with the team, relationships with patients/family, professional environment, feeling of institutional belonging, working conditions, appreciation/recognition, and professional fulfillment. Ethical assumptions were preserved. Results: The results suggest that oncology nurses have important levels of job dissatisfaction. The lowest values of experienced job satisfaction were related to career development, while the highest were related to team relationships. Regarding the desired job satisfaction, the salary was the area presenting the least need for correction. The relationship with patients and families was identified as the area with the greatest desire for improvement. There was a weak correlation between job satisfaction and age, and job satisfaction and professional experience. Discussion and Conclusion: The relationship with the team was one of the areas identified by nurses as significant for their levels of satisfaction, revealing the importance of promoting the development of healthful and effective relationships. Promoting relationships with patients and families is also important as this area was identified as a desire for greater professional development. Health care institutions and nurse managers aiming at the promotion of job satisfaction should plan interventions focusing on the areas of lower job satisfaction and towards younger nurses, who have less experience in clinical environments. Such an approach will likely allow the nurses to feel valued and will reduce the gap between experienced and desired job satisfaction.