[Organizational measures to increase work satisfaction in residential long-term care: A cross-sectional survey from Austria].

Abstract

Background: With increasing care needs and a decline in nursing staff, measures must be found to make long-term care (LTC) attractive for nursing staff and at the same time encourage them to remain in the care sector. For this reason, the question is answered: "How do organizational measures, identified by nursing staff, contribute to improving job satisfaction?".

Method: In a non-proportional quota sample along the federal state distribution, the implementation of measures was surveyed in a cross-sectional survey in LTC facilities. The effect of the measures on job satisfaction was analyzed using multiple linear regression.

Results: The bundles of measures show a high internal consistency of 0.771 to 0.863. Regression analyses revealed that the bundles of measures, like making LTC more attractive (B = 0.244; p < 0.05), integrating interns (B = 0.222, p < 0.05), duty scheduling and working hours (B = 0.324, p < 0.05), and strengthening relationships (B = 0.078), explain more than 60% of the variance in job satisfaction. Overtime has a negative effect but can be mitigated by duty scheduling (B = -0.017, p < 0.05). Women report higher levels of job satisfaction than men. The type of organization, age and vocational training have no influence on job satisfaction.

Discussion: Duty scheduling and working hours are important factors. Loss in job satisfaction can be cushioned by focusing on these measures.

Conclusions: The bundles of measures "Making LTC more attractive", "Duty scheduling and working hours", "Integrating interns", and "Strengthening relationships" are positively associated with job satisfaction. Accordingly, care facilities that implement these bundles of measures have higher job satisfaction rates.