The influence of personality traits on nurses' job satisfaction in Taiwan

Predictors and influencing factors of emotional intelligence among nurses in the North East England, United Kingdom

BACKGROUND

Recognising that high levels of emotional intelligence (EI) are required for involvement in the nursing practice, this study was conducted to assess the traits of emotional intelligence, perception of emotional intelligence and factors associated with emotional intelligence among nursing teams in Northeast England.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For this descriptive cross-sectional study, a concurrent mixed method was employed (qualitative and quantitative method) using a convenience sampling technique. Data were obtained from one hundred and ten (110) staff nurses practicing with the National Health Service via a validated semi-structured questionnaire and in-depth interview. Data collected through questionnaires (online- Google form link) were retrieved via Ms excel spreadsheet and then imported to Statistics Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 for analyses. Interviews recorded were transcribed word for word as Nvivo software (version 12) was utilised for thematic analysis and rapid analysis was also adopted to validate the responses.

RESULTS

Majority (77%) of the respondents were females, and about half (46%) have work experience between one to five years. The mean emotional intelligence trait score for each domain was self-awareness (20.20), self-regulation (38.15), self-motivation (20.54), empathy (18.78), and social skills (29.60), as 82% of the nurses had high emotional intelligence trait. There was a statistically significant relationship between empathy, and race of the respondents (P = 0.040). Also, from the qualitative data; cultural differences, personality traits, self-care, family support, and organisational structure are key predictors of emotional intelligence traits among nurses.

CONCLUSION

Enhancing emotional intelligence traits among nursing teams is significant, as it may serve as an intervention strategy to manage changes and still increase level of morale and productivity among nurses. Hence, creating a more supportive environment, encouragement from team leads or supervisors, and training on stress management strategies can help to reduce burnout, anxiety and stress in nurses.

Success factors in adaptation of newly graduated nurses: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Difficulties in adapting to the workplace can affect newly graduated nurses' transition. Such nurses must adapt quickly, as it can affect their future career prospects. Therefore, this review aimed to identify the success factors that promote newly graduated nurses' effective transition and adaptation.

METHODS

The Joanna Briggs Institute scoping reviews methodology was used. Data were extracted from MEDLINE, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science publications published between 2011 and 2020. A total of 23 articles were included in this review, which comprised qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods primary research studies focusing on the contributing factors that aided newly graduated nurses' adaptation to the work environment during their transition period. Key emerging themes were identified with thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three main themes were identified: (1) organisational contribution (social development, organisational culture, work characteristics, work readiness, work commitment, professional role), (2) personality traits (self-embodiment, personality masking, being proactive and confident), and (3) academic institutions (pre-entry knowledge and role of nursing faculty). Newly graduated nurses' adaptation should begin during nursing education, be supported by the workplace organisation, and driven by the nurse's personality. We determined that that the role of nursing education in aiding the provision of the required knowledge and actual clinical experiences to students profoundly affected developing nurses' self-confidence levels in delivering nursing care effectively. Additionally, a warm environment supported nurses emotionally and physically.

CONCLUSIONS

While organisations and educational institutions have undertaken numerous efforts to ensure that newly graduated nurses are adequately supported, the nurse's personality and values are also equally important to ease adaptation during the transition process. Academic and workplace programs designed for newly graduated nurses should apply and emphasise this knowledge to develop and strengthen their personalities and values, especially to increase confidence and promote proactive values that facilitate newly graduated nurses' rapid and effective adaptation to their new employment.

Profiling health professionals' personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Non-cognitive traits have been theorised to predict characteristics, career choice and outcomes of health professionals and could represent a homogenous group. This study aims to profile and compare personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence of health practitioners across a variety of professions.

METHODS

Empirical literature was systematically reviewed. A two-concept search strategy was applied to four databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, ProQuest). Title/abstract and full text articles were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data was synthesised narratively and meta-aggregated where feasible.

RESULTS

Three hundred twenty-one studies representing 153 assessment tools of personality (n = 83 studies), behaviour (n = 8), and emotional intelligence (n = 62) were included. Most studies (n = 171) explored personality (medicine, nursing, nursing assistants, dentistry, allied health, paramedics), revealing variation in traits across professions. Behaviour styles were least measured with only ten studies exploring these across four health professions (nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, psychology). Emotional intelligence (n = 146 studies) varied amongst professions (medicine, nursing, dentistry, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, radiology) with all exhibiting average to above-average scores.

CONCLUSION

Personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence are all key characteristics of health professionals reported in the literature. There is both heterogeneity and homogeneity within and between professional groups. The characterisation and understanding of these non-cognitive traits will aid health professionals to understand their own non-cognitive features and how these might be useful in predicting performance with potential to adapt these to enhance success within their chosen profession.

Relationships between proactive personality, work locus of control, and vocational satisfaction: the role of level of education

In this study, we examine the relationships between proactive personality, work locus of control, and vocational satisfaction. Moreover, we argue that these relationships vary depending on employees' levels of education (i.e., employees with academic degrees versus without academic degrees). Drawing on Trait Activation Theory, we expected more pronounced relationships of proactive personality and work locus of control with vocational satisfaction for employees with academic degrees. We collected data of N = 2068 employees with a broad range of occupational backgrounds to test our assumptions. A partial disaggregation model revealed that both proactive personality and work locus of control were positively related to vocational satisfaction and that these relationships differed depending on the level of education. Regarding the relationship between proactive personality and vocational satisfaction, we only found evidence among employees with academic degrees. Although work locus of control and vocational satisfaction were significantly related among both groups of employees, the relationship was even more pronounced among employees without academic degrees. Consequently, our results underline the importance of taking inter-individual differences, such as the level of education, into consideration when looking at the effects of proactive personality and work locus of control on work-related well-being.

The relationship between nurses' personality traits and their perceptions of management by values, organizational justice, and turnover intention

PURPOSE

To determine the relationship between nurses' personality traits and their perceptions of management by values, organizational justice, and turnover intention.

DESIGN AND METHODS

It was a descriptive study. A demographic questionnaire, the big five personality scale, the organizational justice scale, the management by values scale, and the turnover intention scale were used to collect data.

FINDINGS

Data analysis did not demonstrate any relationship between nurses' personality traits and their perceptions of management by values, organizational justice, and turnover intention. However, results of regression analysis concluded that perceptions of management by values affected the nurses' perceptions of organizational justice positively.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Nurses' perceptions of organizational justice can be raised and turnover intention may be reduced by improving their perceptions of management by values.

Are job satisfaction and role breadth self-efficacy the links to proactive work behavior?

This research is based on a phenomenon that occurs in State Detention Centers in Indonesia. It attempts to test the relation among proactive personality (PP), proactive work behavior (PWB), job satisfaction (JS) and role breadth self-efficacy (RBSE) variables. With a quantitative approach using AMOS, this study took data from 455 respondents from Detention Centers in Indonesia. The results show that PP, JS and RBSE have direct effect on PWB. Further findings will be discussed. The results are expected to increase the understanding of PWB and can be the basis for the human resource management team to decide better approach to build PWB in the organization and eventually implement appropriate policy.

Personality traits affect critical care nursing competence: A multicentre cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between personality traits and critical care nursing competence among critical care nurses.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN

Multicentre cross-sectional survey using a self-report questionnaire and path modelling, from August 2017 to December 2018.

SETTING

Six intensive care units in Japan.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

We assessed relationships among the Big Five personality traits and four critical care nursing competencies in nurses.

FINDINGS

We included 211 nurses (77.7% women, 59.2% in their 20 s); 62.6% had 1-5 years' critical care nursing experience. Among the four competencies, principles of nursing care had a direct positive effect on decision-making (0.77, p < 0.001); decision-making had a direct positive effect on collaboration (0.74, p < 0.001) and nursing interventions (0.77, p < 0.001). The personality traits openness to experience, agreeableness, and extraversion had a significantly positive effect (0.17, p < 0.05; 0.43, p < 0.001; 0.29, p < 0.01; respectively) on principles of nursing care, the key competency. The personality trait neuroticism had a direct or indirect negative effect on all four nursing competencies.

CONCLUSION

Nursing competence in the critical care setting is affected by personality traits. Our findings can be applied in nursing education to improve competence based on individual personality traits.

Evaluation of a Blended Career Education Course during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Students’ Career Awareness

Higher education has increasingly emphasized the importance of employability traits in order to personalize students’ learning needs and meet dynamic workplace demands. Previous research addressing the personalized learning on career education in blended learning model is limited. The present study aims to examine whether students with distinctive stable personality traits would improve their career adaptability and adaptation results after attending a synchronous career course during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 162 participants completed the questionnaires at both the first and last sessions of the course in spring 2020. Findings revealed that the course positively improved students’ identity formation. Personality traits demonstrated significant main effects on the middle identity formation stage and career adaptability. This study highlights traits such as emotional stability and possible cultural effects on the career development course in the young Chinese sample population. The implication of specific attributes and cultural backgrounds in career development courses is discussed.

From School to Work: Improving Graduates’ Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy

As boundaryless careers become mainstream, individuals need to enhance career decision-making self-efficacy (CDSE) during career transitions to secure better employment outcomes and sustainable career development, especially when moving from a school to a work environment. Drawing on social cognitive career theory, this study empirically proposed a moderated mediation model to examine whether proactive personality (measured at Time 1), career success criteria clarity (CSCC, measured at Time 2), and family socioeconomic status (including family income, parents’ educational level, and parents’ occupational level; measured at Time 1) would contribute to CDSE (measured at Time 2). Results based on a two-wave survey of 235 college students showed that: (1) proactive personality positively predicted CDSE; (2) CSCC positively predicted CDSE; (3) CSCC partly mediated the relation between proactive personality and CDSE; (4) the positive effect of CSCC on CDSE was stronger among students with a lower family socioeconomic status. Individuals with strong proactive personalities were more likely to develop salience in career success criteria and in turn became more confident in making career decisions. Therefore, vocational educators in higher education could help to improve students’ CDSE by promoting training programs for proactive thinking, providing successful role models, and encouraging family involvement, especially for students with a lower family socioeconomic status.

A Web-based Survey of Marital Quality and Job Satisfaction among Chinese Nurses

PURPOSE

This study aimed to use a web-based survey to investigate the correlation between job satisfaction and marital quality and to identify the association of demographics with job satisfaction and marital quality.

METHODS

Married nurses (N = 2,296) completed the questionnaires. Correlations and linear regression analyses were carried out.

RESULTS

Both marital quality and job satisfaction were relatively low. Additionally, marital quality was positively correlated with job satisfaction. Age, marital status (in years) and average daily hours spent with spouse had positive impact on job satisfaction. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that age, monthly income, average daily hours spent with spouse and marital quality were positively associated with job satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Because of the shifts nurses working, there is little time for nurses to spend with their spouses and family. It is recommended that hospital leaders could provide more flexibility with nurses' shift choices so nurses can arrange their work-life balance better. Other considerations like reducing workload and reducing working hours should be promoted as options. Nurse managers could offer counseling services including strategies to cope with the balance between work and life. This effort could improve job satisfaction and reduce the rate of turnover of nurses.

Empathy Variation in General Practice: A Survey among General Practitioners in Denmark

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that high levels of physician empathy may be correlated with improved patient health outcomes and high physician job satisfaction. Knowledge about variation in empathy and related general practitioner (GP) characteristics may allow for a more informed approach to improve empathy among GPs. Objective: Our objective is to measure and analyze variation in physician empathy and its association with GP demographic, professional, and job satisfaction characteristics. Methods: 464 Danish GPs responded to a survey containing the Danish version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professionals (JSE-HP) and questions related to their demographic, professional and job satisfaction characteristics. Descriptive statistics and a quantile plot of the ordered empathy scores were used to describe empathy variation. In addition, random-effect logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between empathy levels and the included GP characteristics. Results: Empathy scores were negatively skewed with a mean score of 117.9 and a standard deviation of 10.1 within a range from 99 (p5) to 135 (p95). GPs aged 45–54 years and GPs who are not employed outside of their practice were less likely to have high empathy scores (≥120). Neither gender, nor length of time since specialization, length of time in current practice, practice type, practice location, or job satisfaction was associated with odds of having high physician empathy. However, odds of having a high empathy score were higher for GPs who stated that the physician-patient relationship and interaction with colleagues has a high contribution to job satisfaction compared to the reference groups (low and medium contribution of these factors). This was also the trend for GPs who stated a high contribution to job satisfaction from intellectual stimulation. In contrast, high contribution of economic profit and prestige did not contribute to increased odds of having a high empathy score. Conclusions: Albeit generally high, we observed substantial variation in physician empathy levels among this population of Danish GPs. This variation is positively associated with values of interpersonal relationships and interaction with colleagues, and negatively associated with middle age (45–54 years) and lack of outside employment. There is room to increase GP physician empathy via educational and organizational interventions, and consequently, to improve healthcare quality and outcomes.

The influence of personality traits and socio-demographic characteristics on paediatric nurses' compassion satisfaction and fatigue

AIMS

To explore the level of and the association between, compassion satisfaction and fatigue of paediatric nurses; to determine the association between personality traits and compassion satisfaction and fatigue; to identify the determinants of compassion satisfaction and fatigue.

BACKGROUND

Paediatric nurses are prone to experiencing compassion fatigue associated with caring for children with illness and their families, yet its connection with nurses' personality traits remains unknown.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used.

METHODS

The data collection used three instruments measuring socio-demography, responses to the compassion satisfaction and fatigue test and the revised NEO personality inventory. The study used descriptive, correlation and multiple regression analysis for the data collected between April - July 2014.

RESULTS

From 173 female paediatric nurses, two-thirds worked in critical care units and indicated a satisfactory level of compassion satisfaction and a low level of compassion fatigue, despite a lack of association between the two concepts. Four determinants-agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness and engaging with outdoor activities-were predictive and explained 43.6% of total variance of compassion satisfaction. Two risk factors of compassion fatigue identified were less emotional stability and singlehood (marital status) and these explained 26.1% of total variance of compassion fatigue.

CONCLUSION

Support for improving agreeableness and emotional stability in paediatric nurses' workplaces including involvement in the outdoor activities and an increase in social connection may enhance compassion satisfaction and prevent exhaustive compassion fatigue.

Measuring dispositional optimism in patients with chronic heart failure and their healthcare providers: the validity of the Life Orientation Test-Revised

The Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) measures dispositional optimism (DO) - an individual difference promoting physical and psychological well-being in healthy adults (HAs) as well as in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and healthcare providers (HPs). Controversy has arisen regarding the dimensionality of the LOT-R. Whereas DO was originally defined as a one-dimensional construct, empirical evidence suggests two correlated factors in the LOT-R. This study was the first attempt to identify the best factor structure of the LOT-R in patients with CHF and HPs and to evaluate its measurement invariance among subsamples of patients with CHF, HPs, and a normative sample of HAs. Its validity was also evaluated in patients with CHF. The sample comprised 543 participants (34% HAs; 34% HPs; and 32% CHF patients). Congeneric, two correlated factor, and two orthogonal factor models for the LOT-R were compared by performing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Measurement invariance was evaluated by considering differential item functioning (DIF) among subsamples of HPs, patients with CHF, and HAs. In patients with CHF, validity was assessed by considering associations with anxiety and depression. The CFA demonstrated the superior fit of the two orthogonal factor model. Moreover, across patients with CHF, HPs, and HAs, the results highlighted a minimal DIF with only trivial consequences. Finally, negative but weak correlations of DO with anxiety and depression confirmed the validity of the LOT-R in patients with CHF. In summary, these findings supported the validity and suitability of the LOT-R for the assessment of DO in patients with CHF, HPs, and HAs.

Is Nurses' Professional Competence Related to Their Personality and Emotional Intelligence? A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Nurses' professional competence is a crucial factor in clinical practice. Systematic evaluation of nurses’ competence and its related factors are essential for enhancing the quality of nursing care. This study aimed to assess the nurses’ competence level and its possible relationship with their personality and emotional intelligence.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey design, three instruments including Nurse Competence Scale, short form of Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test, and the short 10-item version of Big Five Factor Inventory, were administered simultaneously to a randomized stratified sample of 220 nurses working in hospitals affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 11.5.

Results: Majority of nurses rated themselves as "good" and "very good", with the highest scores in "managing situations" and "work role" dimensions of nurse competence. A relatively similar pattern of scores was seen in competence dimensions, personality and emotional intelligence, among male and female nurses. Emotional intelligence and personality scores showed a significant relationship with nurses’ competence, explaining almost 20% of variations in nurse competence scores.

Conclusion: Iranian nurses evaluated their overall professional competence at similar level of the nurses in other countries. Knowledge about the nurses’ competence level and its related factors, including personality and emotional intelligence, may help nurse managers in enhancing nurses' professional competence through appropriate task assignments and conducting in-service educational programs, thus improving the health status of patients.

How Likely Is It for a Nurse Student to Become a Competent Nurse? A Protocol for Scale Development and Validation Using a Mixed Methods Study

The aim of the paper was to develop and validate a scale for estimating the likelihood of a nurse student to become a competent nurse.

Admitting students to nursing schools without assessing their personal characteristics has led to serious consequences, including low quality of nursing care. Early detection of students who are at risk of attrition or becoming non-competent nurses can save the time, money, and energy devoted to educating and training the future nurses.

A mixed methods design will be employed. Using literature review and interviews with nurse students, clinical nurses, nurse experts, and nurse managers during the first qualitative phase, we will build a comprehensive item pool that has a focus on nurse students’ personal characteristics. To increase the trustworthiness of interview findings, we will distinguish competent versus incompetent nurses by measuring their competence levels. In the second quantitative phase, the Nurse Competence Predicting Scale will be developed and tested for psychometric properties.

We believe that Nurse Competence Predicting Scale may help in early identification of nurse students who are at risk of not acquiring expected nurse competencies on graduation or joining the workforce. In such cases, educational managers may take timely remedial interventions.

Examining the Relationships Among Self-Efficacy, Coping, and Job Satisfaction Using Social Career Cognitive Theory

Using a social cognitive career theory perspective, the relationships among self-efficacy, coping styles, and job satisfaction were examined in a sample of 314 nurses employed in regional hospitals in Taiwan. Results indicated that self-efficacy was positively associated with problem-focused coping style and job satisfaction and negatively associated with emotion-focused coping. The influence of self-efficacy on job satisfaction was indirect and partially mediated by coping styles. Psychologists and health care managers may use these findings to design relevant intervention programs to enhance nurses’ coping effectiveness and self-efficacy.

Job satisfaction in nursing: a concept analysis

TOPIC

Concept analysis and job satisfaction in nursing.

PURPOSE

In this article, Walker and Avant's concept analysis methodology is used to examine and clarify the phenomenon of job satisfaction in nursing.

SOURCES

Published literature.

CONCLUSION

A review of the published nursing literature suggests that job satisfaction is an affective reaction to a job that results from the incumbent's comparison of actual outcomes with those that are desired, expected, and deserved. In health care, specifically nursing in a hospital setting, job satisfaction can be measured and identified. Job satisfaction is compromised of three attributes: autonomy, interpersonal relationships, and patient care.

Determinants of day care teachers' job satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Although job satisfaction is among the most widely researched topics, relatively little research has been done on this issue as it relates to early childhood educators. This study was designed to contribute significantly to the deficient body of knowledge about working conditions and job satisfaction of day care teachers, in particular with regard to differences in job satisfaction depending on day care centres' ownership.

METHODS

Analyses were based on cross-sectional comparison of 469 questionnaires (42.55% response rate) from day care teachers working at public day care centres with those working at day care centres run by churches or parents' initiatives.

RESULTS

A significant difference in job satisfaction was found between these three types. The important interaction between socio-demographic characteristics, psychosocial working conditions, and job satisfaction could be demonstrated.

CONCLUSION

The present study is one of the few that examines the impacts of day care centres ownership on pedagogical staffs' job satisfaction and indicates that the type of the centre is a potential factor explaining variations. Results provide a valuable basis for the development of solution-focused approaches to improve pedagogical staff working conditions.