Job satisfaction, intent to stay, and recommended job improvements: the palliative nursing assistant speaks.

Abstract

There are few studies specifically focused on the job satisfaction of hospice and palliative nursing assistants (NAs). The goal of this study was to ascertain factors contributing to NAs' job satisfaction and intent to remain with their current employer, garner suggestions for improving NA jobs, and inform hospice and palliative care providers concerned about retaining qualified, satisfied NAs. A nonexperimental, cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from a broad sample of NAs employed in hospice and palliative care settings between December 2010 and May 2011. This study found hospice and palliative NAs to be satisfied and committed to their jobs, which most viewed as long-term careers. However, organizations committed to recruitment and retention of committed and satisfied NAs would do well to ensure high-quality NA supervision, include NAs as valued team members, encourage positive work relationships, work to reduce problems identified by NAs as interfering with their work, and continue efforts to increase NA compensation.