Exploring Job Satisfaction, Role Issues, and Supervisor Support of Associate Degree Nursing Program Directors

AIM: This article reports findings from a National League for Nursing-funded research study that examined factors in the psychosocial work environment of academic program directors. BACKGROUND: Vacant nursing academic leadership positions continue to rise and remain unfilled for extensive time periods. No recent study has looked at this issue from a national perspective. METHOD: An exploratory, descriptive, correlational design with a convenience sample of academic administrators was obtained from NLNAC-accredited programs. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II was the primary instrument used in the study. RESULTS: Academic administrators (N = 242; response rate: 41.2 percent) validated concerns of increasing position turnover; 59 percent indicated that they were in their current positions for less than five years. Statistically significant correlations were found between job satisfaction, work/family life, role concerns, social support, and recognition. CONCLUSION: Proactive interventions are needed to ensure manageable workloads for those in these essential positions.