Abstract
Aim. To understand stress, resilience, and compassion satisfaction of nursing faculty during COVID-19 pandemic and identify factors related to their job satisfaction.
Background. The impact of COVID-19 on faculty stress, resilience, compassion satisfaction, and job satisfaction were unknown.
Methods. A mixed methods survey was distributed electronically to nursing faculty in the US. A convergent parallel mixed methods study design allowed us to measure and analyze quantitative and qualitative findings concurrently to support a fuller understanding of the results (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017). A list of department leaders (chair, dean, or director) names and contact information was obtained from two accrediting bodies for nursing education programs in the US (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education = 996 and Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing = 1046). Between March and September of 2021, department leaders were asked to share a recruitment email containing a description of the study and researcher contact information with full time and adjunct nursing faculty.
A 98-item cross-sectional survey assessed nurse educators’ resilience, compassion satisfaction, perceived stress, and job satisfaction. The survey questionnaire contained a Demographic and COVID-19 Teaching related survey, the Brief Resilience Scale, the Professional Quality of Life Scale-Compassion Satisfaction Subscale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Job Satisfaction Scale. Open-ended questions were added to collect additional information to help interpret survey results.
Descriptive statistics were performed to calculate total score, mean, and standard deviation. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to estimate bivariate associations among job satisfaction, compassion satisfaction, perceived stress, and resilience.
Qualitative data analysis was completed using an inductive content analysis approach (Bradley et al., 2007). Two researchers independently coded the data and themes were developed. Findings were compared and any discrepancies were discussed by the research team until consensus was reached on concepts and themes. Results were triangulated with quantitative findings, and findings from other research studies. Including participants from a national population increased the transferability of our results.
Results. Compassion satisfaction and resilience were positively correlated with job satisfaction. Stress and job satisfaction were negatively correlated. Feeling safe to teach, feeling supported by administration, and spending more hours teaching online were positively associated with job satisfaction. Three themes were identified: challenges in the workplace, struggles with personal stressors, and building capacity in the face of the unknown.
Conclusion. Faculty reported a strong professional commitment to nursing education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leadership that supported faculty through concern for their safety contributed to participants ability to respond to the challenges of teaching during the pandemic.
Notes
Presenter notes available in attached slide deck.
References:
Creswell, J. W. & Plano Clark, V. L. (2017). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research (2nd ed.) (pp. 77-81). Sage Publications.
Bradley, E. H., Curry, L. A., & Devers, K. J. (2007). Qualitative data analysis for health services research: Developing a taxonomy, themes, and theory. Health Services Research 42(4). 1758-1772. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6773.2006.00684.x
Arian, M., Soleimani, M., & Oghazian, M. B. (2018). Job satisfaction and the factors affecting satisfaction in nurse educators: A systematic review. Journal of Professional Nursing, 34(5), 389–399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2018.07.004
Boamah, S. A. (2022). The impact of transformational leadership on nurse faculty satisfaction and burnout during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 78 (9), doi:2815-2826. doi:10.1111/jan.15198.
Donovan, L. & Payne, C. (2021). Organizational commitment of nurse faculty teaching in accelerated baccalaureate nursing programs. Nursing Education Perspectives, 42 (2), 81-86. doi:10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000764.
Gazza, E. A. (2022). The experience of being a full-time academic nurse educator during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing Education Perspectives, 42(2), 74-79. doi:10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000933
Keener, T. A., Wang, K., Hall, K., Hulsey, T., & Piamjariyakul, U. (2021). Mediating role of resilience on nursing faculty and student QoL during COVID-19. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 44(11),1006-1015. https://doi.org/10.1177/01939459211024646
Sigma Membership
Nu Beta at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Cross-Sectional
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Job Satisfaction, Nursing Faculty, Hardiness, Occupational Stress, COVID-19 Pandemic -- Psychosocial Factors
Recommended Citation
Sessions, Laura C.; Ness, Michelle M.; Mark, Hayley D.; and Kyum Yang, Bo, "Nursing Faculty Job Satisfaction During COVID-19: A Mixed Methods Study" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 126.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/126
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-03-06
Nursing Faculty Job Satisfaction During COVID-19: A Mixed Methods Study
Washington, DC, USA
Aim. To understand stress, resilience, and compassion satisfaction of nursing faculty during COVID-19 pandemic and identify factors related to their job satisfaction.
Background. The impact of COVID-19 on faculty stress, resilience, compassion satisfaction, and job satisfaction were unknown.
Methods. A mixed methods survey was distributed electronically to nursing faculty in the US. A convergent parallel mixed methods study design allowed us to measure and analyze quantitative and qualitative findings concurrently to support a fuller understanding of the results (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017). A list of department leaders (chair, dean, or director) names and contact information was obtained from two accrediting bodies for nursing education programs in the US (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education = 996 and Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing = 1046). Between March and September of 2021, department leaders were asked to share a recruitment email containing a description of the study and researcher contact information with full time and adjunct nursing faculty.
A 98-item cross-sectional survey assessed nurse educators’ resilience, compassion satisfaction, perceived stress, and job satisfaction. The survey questionnaire contained a Demographic and COVID-19 Teaching related survey, the Brief Resilience Scale, the Professional Quality of Life Scale-Compassion Satisfaction Subscale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Job Satisfaction Scale. Open-ended questions were added to collect additional information to help interpret survey results.
Descriptive statistics were performed to calculate total score, mean, and standard deviation. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to estimate bivariate associations among job satisfaction, compassion satisfaction, perceived stress, and resilience.
Qualitative data analysis was completed using an inductive content analysis approach (Bradley et al., 2007). Two researchers independently coded the data and themes were developed. Findings were compared and any discrepancies were discussed by the research team until consensus was reached on concepts and themes. Results were triangulated with quantitative findings, and findings from other research studies. Including participants from a national population increased the transferability of our results.
Results. Compassion satisfaction and resilience were positively correlated with job satisfaction. Stress and job satisfaction were negatively correlated. Feeling safe to teach, feeling supported by administration, and spending more hours teaching online were positively associated with job satisfaction. Three themes were identified: challenges in the workplace, struggles with personal stressors, and building capacity in the face of the unknown.
Conclusion. Faculty reported a strong professional commitment to nursing education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leadership that supported faculty through concern for their safety contributed to participants ability to respond to the challenges of teaching during the pandemic.
Description
In a survey of nursing faculty in the US, compassion satisfaction and resilience were positively correlated with job satisfaction. Stress and job satisfaction were negatively correlated. Feeling safe to teach, feeling supported by administration, and spending more hours teaching online were positively associated with job satisfaction.