Other Titles
Nurse Leader Job Satisfaction and Its Impact on Retention in the US: A Secondary Data Analysis [Title Slide]
Other Titles
Rapid Presentation Round
Abstract
Nursing leaders play a vital role in ensuring high-quality patient care and maintaining organizational stability. However, their job satisfaction and retention rates are often less studied than those of staff nurses. High turnover among nurse leaders disrupts care delivery, increases operational costs, and negatively impacts patient outcomes. This study, grounded in Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory, explores how motivators (recognition, professional growth) and hygiene factors (salary, working conditions) influence job satisfaction and retention.
Utilizing secondary data from the 2022 HRSA National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN), this research addresses gaps in understanding the factors that enhance satisfaction and retention among nurse leaders across different levels (frontline, middle management, senior administration). The objective is to investigate the connections between job satisfaction and leader retention, informing interventions aimed at boosting satisfaction and retention rates by identifying key factors.
This study uniquely applies Herzberg's theory to assess the job satisfaction and retention of nurse leaders, leveraging a nationally representative dataset. Findings are expected to provide insights into intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting nurse leaders and reshape leadership development strategies. The research will focus on 2,609 nurse leaders from diverse environments, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, and non-patient care settings. Job satisfaction will be categorized on a scale from "extremely satisfied" to "extremely dissatisfied." Independent variables will include demographic characteristics, employment traits, identified motivators, and hygiene factors. Descriptive statistics, ordinal, and logistic regression models will be employed to explore the relationships between leadership levels, job satisfaction, and retention outcomes, using odds ratios and confidence intervals.
The study aims to highlight specific motivators and hygiene factors influencing nurse leader satisfaction and retention, emphasizing the importance of leadership support, mentorship, and professional development. Practical implications may include recommendations for leadership training, organizational policy adjustments, and targeted retention initiatives. By improving job satisfaction and reducing turnover, this research aims to contribute to stable healthcare leadership, better patient outcomes and enhanced organizational performance.
Notes
References:
Flynn, L., & Ironside, P. M. (2018). Burnout and its contributing factors among midlevel academic nurse leaders. J Nurs Educ, 57(1), 28–34. doi:10.3928/01484834-20180102-06
Health Resources and Services Administration. (2022). National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses: Workforce Survey. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/health-workforce/nursing-workforce-survey-data#RegisteredNurses
Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. (1959). The Motivation to Work. (Vol. 2. Aufl. ). New York.
Hudgins, T., Brown, K. D., Layne, D., & Maggard Stephens, T. (2022). The effect of academic nurse leaders' toxic behaviors. J Nurs Educ, 61(2), 88–92. doi:10.3928/01484834-20211213-02
Karaferis, D., Aletras, V., Raikou, M., & Niakas, D. (2022). Factors Influencing Motivation and Work Engagement of Healthcare Professionals. Materia socio-medica, 34(3), 216–224. https://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2022.34.216-224
Penconek, T., Tate, K., Lartey, S. A., Polat, D., Bernardes, A., Moreno Dias, B., Cummings, G. G. (2024). Factors influencing nurse manager retention, intent to stay or leave and turnover: A systematic review update. J Adv Nurs, doi:10.1111/jan.16227
Robbins, S. P. & Judge. T. A. (2023). Organizational Behavior. 19th edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. (RJ)
Saifman, H., & Sherman, R. O. (2019). The experience of being a millennial nurse manager. J Nurs Adm, 49(7-8), 366–371. doi:10.1097/NNA.0000000000000769
Sigma Membership
Phi Epsilon
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Workforce, Policy and Advocacy, Mentoring and Coaching, Leadership, Workforce Planning and Development, Job Satisfaction, Staff Retention
Recommended Citation
Rowell, Marguerite and Briggs, Linda Ann, "Nurse Leader Job Satisfaction and Impact on Retention in the US: A Secondary Data Analysis" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 187.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/187
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
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
2025-12-05
Funder(s)
Sigma Foundation for Nursing
Nurse Leader Job Satisfaction and Impact on Retention in the US: A Secondary Data Analysis
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Nursing leaders play a vital role in ensuring high-quality patient care and maintaining organizational stability. However, their job satisfaction and retention rates are often less studied than those of staff nurses. High turnover among nurse leaders disrupts care delivery, increases operational costs, and negatively impacts patient outcomes. This study, grounded in Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory, explores how motivators (recognition, professional growth) and hygiene factors (salary, working conditions) influence job satisfaction and retention.
Utilizing secondary data from the 2022 HRSA National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN), this research addresses gaps in understanding the factors that enhance satisfaction and retention among nurse leaders across different levels (frontline, middle management, senior administration). The objective is to investigate the connections between job satisfaction and leader retention, informing interventions aimed at boosting satisfaction and retention rates by identifying key factors.
This study uniquely applies Herzberg's theory to assess the job satisfaction and retention of nurse leaders, leveraging a nationally representative dataset. Findings are expected to provide insights into intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting nurse leaders and reshape leadership development strategies. The research will focus on 2,609 nurse leaders from diverse environments, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, and non-patient care settings. Job satisfaction will be categorized on a scale from "extremely satisfied" to "extremely dissatisfied." Independent variables will include demographic characteristics, employment traits, identified motivators, and hygiene factors. Descriptive statistics, ordinal, and logistic regression models will be employed to explore the relationships between leadership levels, job satisfaction, and retention outcomes, using odds ratios and confidence intervals.
The study aims to highlight specific motivators and hygiene factors influencing nurse leader satisfaction and retention, emphasizing the importance of leadership support, mentorship, and professional development. Practical implications may include recommendations for leadership training, organizational policy adjustments, and targeted retention initiatives. By improving job satisfaction and reducing turnover, this research aims to contribute to stable healthcare leadership, better patient outcomes and enhanced organizational performance.
Description
Nursing leaders are vital for quality patient care, yet their job satisfaction and retention rates are often overlooked. This study, based on Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory, explores how motivators (like recognition) and hygiene factors (such as salary) affect nurse leaders' job satisfaction and retention. Analyzing data from 2,609 nurse leaders, it identifies factors influencing satisfaction and retention, aiming to enhance healthcare leadership stability and improve patient outcomes.