Question

According to Zurmehly article. How was the reliability of the WGC-TA established

Answer 1

Reliability was determined by the test’s internal consistency, stability of test scores over time, and correlation between scores on alternative forms. Coefficients ranged from .69 to .85. The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) Short Form was used to measure autonomy as well as job satisfaction (Weiss, Davis, England, & Lofquist, 1967). It is a 20-facet tool on job satisfaction. Some of the more pertinent areas covered in the 20 subscales included achievement (the feeling of accomplishment one gets from a job), advancement (the chance for advancement in a job), compensation, creativity, independence, recognition, and work conditions. Each of these facets was measured by the sum of five items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very dissatisfied to 5 = very satisfied). Participants indicated being very dissatisfied with an item if that job aspect provided much less than expected results. On the other hand, if an element of the job provided much more than expected, a participant indicated being very satisfied with the item (Weiss et al.). The highest documented median Hoyt reliability coefficient was .93 for advancement and recognition and the lowest median was .78 for responsibility. The Hoyt reliability coefficient ranged from a high of .97 on the ability utilization scale to a low of .59 on the variety scale. The test-retest correlation of general satisfaction scale scores produced coefficients of .89 over a 1-week period for 75 employees attending night school and .70 for 115 employees over a 1-year period. Data Analysis Data were analyzed according to the appropriate statistical technique determined by the level of measurement. The relationships between the job satisfaction score on the MSQ and the subcomponents of ability, achievement, authority, independence, responsibility, and working conditions were examined. A Pearson moment correlation was performed to investigate the degree of the relationship between autonomy and job satisfaction. A correlation coefficient and coefficient of determination (r) were computed to determine the degree of the linear relationship between job satisfaction and autonomy. Pearson’s r correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between critical thinking and job satisfaction. The independent variables of educational preparation, critical thinking (total score on the WGCTA), and autonomy (subcomponents on the MSQ) of practicing RNs and the dependent variable of total job satisfaction were examined. A standard multiple regression analysis was performed, measuring the relationship among the one internal level dependent variable and three independent variables. Stepwise forward multiple regression was used to determine if the independent variables in combination explained the variance in job satisfaction. The correlation of total job satisfaction on the MSQ and scores on the subscales were examined. The mean scores on the MSQ and the mean scores of the subscales were compared. Results Demographics Respondent employment areas were 34% medicalsurgical, 34% community care, 17% management, and 15% home health, closely reflecting national averages. Respondent age range was 20 to older than 50 years. The greatest frequency was at 41 to 50 years (43%), followed by 31 to 40 years (29.2%), closely matching national mean RN ages (Spratley, Johnson, Sochalski, Fritz, & Spencer, 2000). Regarding marital status, 81.4% were married and 18.6% were widowed, divorced, or never married. The majority of the sample was female (95%), reflecting the national trend of 94.6% (Spratley et al.). Most of the respondents indicated race as White (88.6%), with 6% reporting Black, 3% American Native, and 2% Asian or Pacific Islander, again reflective of RNs nationally (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2002). Respondents had a variety of educational levels, from diploma to master’s degree. Almost half had an ADN (43%), consistent with national trends in ADN education (43%; Spratley et al., 2000). A diploma in nursing was the basic preparation for 16% of respondents and a BSN was the basic preparation for 30%. A master’s degree in nursing was held by 12%, compared to a national average of 9.6% (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2002). This difference may be accounted for by the specific practice areas that were surveyed necessitating an advanced degree (i.e., management, home health, and community care). Full-time employment was held by 89% with 11% reporting part-time employment, somewhat higher than the national full-time employment rate of 80% (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). The post-hoc Bonferroni correlation indicated there was a significant difference among groups on age [F(3, 136) = 2.887, p = .034]. Medical-surgical nurses (M = 30.51, SD = 5.33) were younger than home health 456 The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing · October 2008 · Vol 39, No 10 (M = 31.51, SD = 6.23), community care (M = 33.10, SD = 5.65), and management (M = 33.65, SD = 6.00) nurses. When mean years of working as an RN were compared among the four groups, significant differences were noted [F(3, 136) = .552, p = .896]. There was no difference noted between groups on level of education [2 (3, N = 140) = 3.252, p = .088]. The groups did not differ on marital status [2 (3, N = 140) = .877, p = .655], gender [2 (1, N = 140) = 1.506, p = .471], employment status (2 (1, N = 140) = 2.835, p = .242], or ethnicity [2 (3, N = 140) = 2.938, p = .230]. Although there was no significant difference between groups on education, more ADN nurses (42.8%, n = 60) participated than did BSN nurses (29.2%, n = 41), diploma nurses (15.7%, n = 22), or master’s-prepared nurses (12.3%, n = 17). In summary, the four groups surveyed were similar in all demographics except age. Significant differences were revealed between the medical-surgical nursing group’s age and the community care, home health, and management groups’ ages, with the medical-surgical group reporting the youngest ages, which is supported by the literature (Spratley et al., 2000). Data for age, years of experience, gender, marital status, ethnicity, education, area of practice, work experience, and employment status were analyzed using the chi-square test and analysis of variance. No differences were noted between groups in demographics other than age. Autonomy and Job Satisfaction The MSQ was used to elicit factors that contributed to job satisfaction and autonomy. An analysis of variance was conducted to explore job satisfaction overall scores. There was a significant difference between group scores on overall satisfaction [F(3,136) = 8.44, p = .000]. The community care nurses were the most satisfied group (M = 76.35, SD = 8.73), followed by management (M = 75.30, SD = 8.32), home health (M = 66.57, SD = 7.99), and medical-surgical (M = 65.27, SD = 11.59) nurses. The autonomy items that participants were least satisfied with were ability and working conditions. Autonomy variables were rank ordered by total sample means (Table). The relationship between job satisfaction (as measured by the MSQ) and perceived autonomy (as measured by the MSQ subcomponents of ability, achievement, authority, independence, responsibility, and working conditions) was investigated using the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between job satisfaction and perceived autonomy (r = .538, p < .05). The Pearson correlation between MSQ and autonomy revealed that as the perceived autonomy of practicing RNs increased, total job satisfaction also increased. Critical Thinking and Job Satisfaction The overall scores on the WGCTA ranged from 12 to 38 (M = 19) and scores on the subscales ranged from 0 to 9. The WGCTA mean composite score was 18.13 (SD = 6.57). Subjects were divided into four groups according to their work environment. There was a significant difference in critical thinking scores for the four groups [F(3,136) = 4.62, p = .01]. Post-hoc Bonferroni comparisons indicated that the mean score for the management nurses demonstrated higher critical thinking skills (M = 20.25, SD = 7.22) compared to the community care (M = 17.95, SD = 4.64), medical-surgical (M = 17.43, SD = 5.63), or home health (M = 15.71, SD = 6.69) nurses. Management nurses ranked the highest in all categories: inference (M = 3.91, SD = 1.83), recognition (M = 4.16, SD = 2.23), deduction (M = 4.41, SD = 1.55), interpretation (M = 4.04, SD = 2.15), and evaluation (M = 3.91, SD = 1.76). Relationships between critical thinking of practicing RNs and total job satisfaction were analyzed using Pearson correlations. A one-way analysis of variance was used to analyze mean differences between groups based on total MSQ and WGCTA scores. Analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation (r = .442, p < .05) between WGCTA total score and the MSQ. Interestingly, when these factors were explored from the perspective of the subgroups with Bonferroni comparisons, the results were different: community health (r = -.411, n = 47, p < .01) and management (r = -.572, n = 24, p < .01) nurses demonstrated a negative significant correlation. The medical-surgical (r = .441, n = 48, p < .01) and home health (r = .398, n = 21, p < .01) nurses demonstrated a positive significant correlation between total job satisfaction and critical thinking. Educational Preparation and Job Satisfaction A multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine educational preparation and critical thinking (total score on the WGCTA) of practicing RNs and total job satisfaction with two predictors of total job satisfaction. Results demonstrated a significant positive correlation (r = .896) among educational level, WGCTA total score, and total job satisfaction of practicing RNs. Linear combination scores of the WGCTA total score and education revealed a strong positive association with total job satisfaction [R2 = .651, adjusted R2 = .647; F(1,138) = 52.49, p = .008], suggesting job satisfaction was related to some combination of the variables. The regression equation with educational level was significant [R2 = .082, ad- justed R2 = .075; F(2,137) = 263.78, p = .007]. Total critical thinking was also significant [R2 = .684, adjusted R2 = .672; F(3, 136) = 52.49, p < .01]. Standardized regression coefficients (beta) for each variable suggested that educational level (.34) and critical thinking (.79) did contribute to greater total job satisfaction. Interestingly, when the factors of educational preparation were explored from the perspective of educational subgroups, the results were different, with a significant difference between group scores on overall satisfaction [F(3,136) = 7.33, p = .000]. The BSNs were the most satisfied group (M = 66.25), followed by the master’s (M = 63.30), ADN (M = 56.57), and diploma (M = 44.26) nurses. These results suggest that educational preparation and critical thinking have an important role in total RN job satisfaction. Study findings indicated that education, autonomy, and critical thinking significantly relate to overall nurse job satisfaction. Testing the job satisfaction model with multiple regression analysis of all variables on job satisfaction showed that critical thinking accounted for the largest contribution to job satisfaction, followed by autonomy and educational level. Discussion The RNs in this study were generally satisfied with their jobs. The top five overall satisfaction factors were social service, moral values, independence, recognition, and responsibility. Although the home health and community care nurses rank ordered the same top four satisfying factors, they differed on the fifth factor. Both groups identified independence, responsibility, security, and ability as the top four variables with which they were most satisfied. However, the home health nurses valued ability, whereas the community care nurses valued community service as the fifth factor. The medical-surgical nurses identified the same five items as the management nurses with a slightly different rank order (social service, moral values, security, ability, and responsibility). Both groups identified security as being the third top satisfaction variable. A review of the five variables that these nurses were least satisfied with revealed a similar trend. The medicalsurgical, management, and home health nurses ranked recognition 20th. The medical-surgical, management, community care, and home health nurses were least satisfied with the same items (coworkers, compensation, supervision, recognition, and achievement), but the rank order differed. The participants all listed independence, recognition, responsibility, and authority as the autonomy attributes that most affected job satisfaction. Medical-surgical and community health nurses reported that independence most affected their level of job satisfaction. Management and home health nurses designated recognition as the most important variable influencing satisfaction. Although all participants identified the same Table Means (Standard Deviations) of the Nurses’ Scores on the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire Autonomy Variables by Employment Area (n = 140) Rank Order Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire Questiona MedicalSurgical (n = 48) Management (n = 24) Home Health (n = 21) Community Care (n = 47) Total Sample (N = 140) 1. The chance to work alone on the job 3.81 3.87 3.71 4.14 3.92 (0.86) (0.61) (0.84) (0.65) (0.77) 2. The feeling of accomplishment I get from the job 3.37 4.16 4.33 4.14 3.91 (0.96) (0.70) (0.66) (0.64) (0.87) 3. The freedom to use my own judgment 3.79 3.65 3.95 3.91 3.82 (0.87) (0.87) (0.86) (0.94) (0.89) 4. The chance to tell people what to do 3.56 4.08 3.71 3.81 3.75 (1.12) (0.65) (0.78) (0.67) (0.87) 5. The chance to do something that makes use of my abilities 2.66 2.91 2.00 2.13 2.42 (0.70) (0.71) (0.70) (0.65) (0.73) 6. The working conditions 2.43 2.50 2.19 2.10 2.30 (0.92) (0.66) (1.03) (0.78) (0.93) aRated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very dissatisfied, 2 = dissatisfied, 3 = neither dissatisfied nor satisfied, 4 = satisfied, and 5 = very satisfied). 458 The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing · October 2008 · Vol 39, No 10 top variables as most satisfying, they prioritized these variables differently. The variables all participants identified being the most dissatisfied with were ability and compensation. The rankings by group varied slightly, but it was clear that these nurses were least satisfied with ability and working conditions. These findings suggest that critical thinking plays an important role in total RN job satisfaction. As critical thinking increased, nurses’ total job satisfaction also increased. Overall, management nurses scored the highest on the WGCTA. Management nurses also scored the highest on all subscales, with community care, medical-surgical, and home health nurses closely following. Scores on the WGCTA subscales between groups were consistent except on the subscale of deduction. Medicalsurgical nurses scored higher on deduction than community and home health nurses did. The predictor variable of age contributed to higherorder critical thinking attributes. Management nurses were the oldest group and demonstrated the highest critical thinking attributes on the WGCTA. Medical-surgical nurses were the youngest group and demonstrated lower critical thinking levels on the WGCTA