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Improving Nurses’ Job Satisfaction: an Action Research Study

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Abstract

Despite the growing knowledge about job satisfaction, the improvement of it for healthcare providers has remained a challenge. The present study was conducted to identify the challenges to nurses' job satisfaction and improving it by an action research approach. The present study was conducted from 2016 to 2018. The participants were twenty-four nurses, head nurses, and academic researchers as facilitators. They worked through two cycles of reflection and action for change for 19 months. The data were collected and analyzed using the concurrent mixed-method approach. The findings of the quantitative data revealed that the score of nurses’ job satisfaction increased from 50.8 ± 8.34 to 59.88 ± 7.82 in pre and post measurements. Furthermore, reflection on actions in two cycles resulted in designing and implementing action plans for change, learning for both participants and facilitators, and improvement in nurses’ satisfaction with the new program. Some of the Nurses’ Job Satisfaction challenges can be decreased with their participation, they could establish the foundation of a sustainable job satisfaction program successfully. Also, implications introduced in this action research could be applicable for top managers and health system policymakers in a wider range of practice.

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Acknowledgements

Hereby, the researchers of this study wish to express their gratitude to the deputy of research at the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences for approving and providing financial support for this research project. They also would like to appreciate the nurses who participated in this study.

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Vice-chancellor of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Grant No.94.01.89.9155).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Community Based Psychiatric Care Research Center, Department of Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Shahrzad Yektatalab

  2. Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Marzieh Momennasab

  3. Department of Pediatric Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Center for Educational Research in Medical Sciences (CERMS), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Soroor Parvizy

  4. Amol Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Talebamoli Street, Fayyasbakhsh Alley, Sari, Iran

    Noushin Mousazadeh

Authors
  1. Shahrzad Yektatalab
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  2. Marzieh Momennasab
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  3. Soroor Parvizy
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  4. Noushin Mousazadeh
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Contributions

All authors designed the study. Noushin mousazadeh gathered the data. Shahrzad Yektatalab, Marzieh Momennasab, Noushin mousazadeh and Soroor Parvizy interpreted and analyzed the data. Shahrzad ayaektatalab and Noushin Mousazadeh wrote and revised the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Noushin Mousazadeh.

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Yektatalab, S., Momennasab, M., Parvizy, S. et al. Improving Nurses’ Job Satisfaction: an Action Research Study. Syst Pract Action Res 35, 15–32 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-021-09554-z

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