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The fundamental capital of any organization is human resources, which is the source of change and innovation [1]. Job dissatisfaction reduces productivity, increases absenteeism and rapid relocation in nurses [2]. Job satisfaction as one of the important factors of success that makes an individual efficient is the ultimate goal of any organization [3]. Studies have shown that for nurses, there is a positive relationship between their job satisfaction and patient satisfaction and the quality of care. Job satisfaction affects quality of life, physical and mental health, and its lack is an obstacle to achieving their individual and social development goals and leads to a decrease in a person's interest in attending work (5, 4). Various studies have shown the dependence of job satisfaction on various aspects of working conditions and personal characteristics. Therefore, improving working conditions in order to improve job satisfaction is of particular importance [6].
A study suggest that if the job demand is high and the person does not have the opportunity and ability to control the work process, he or she will suffer from psychological stress [9].
According to a study by Heidari et al., focusing on the psychological needs and job control of nurses is one of the intervention programs to increase employee productivity [11].
Due to the high stress and intellectual workload among nurses and the importance of job satisfaction and control on improving the quality of nursing care and the limited number of studies on the effect of job control, the present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of job control in explaining the relationship between job satisfaction and mental workload.
The present study is a descriptive-analytical study that was conducted in 2019 with the consideration of all nurses of Ardabil and Shushtar teaching hospitals as a statistical population. Data were collected from 188 nurses by census method.
This study used four tools to collect information including demographic information questionnaire, NASA-TLX questionnaire, JDI job satisfaction questionnaire and a researcher-made questionnaire designed by Adibi et al. to evaluate job control.
Descriptive correlation coefficient was used to analyze the collected statistical data. The data distribution followed the normal multivariate assumption.
Correlation tests, analysis of variance and regression coefficients in the structural equation model were used to determine the relationship between the variables. Significance level of the above tests was less than 0.05 and 95% confidence interval was considered. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 18 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Ill., USA) and AMOS software version 18.
Based on the results, the final model had good fitness (GFI=0.859, CFI=0.921, RMSEA=0.067). The results also showed that there is a significant relationship between mental workload and job satisfaction (P<0.001, r=-0.33) and this relationship has increased with the presence of job control (P<0.001, r=-0.42).
Table 1. Frequency and average of contextual variables and their relationship with workload, job satisfaction and control
Variable | N (%) | Workload | Job satisfaction | Job control | ||||
SD±M | Significance level | SD±M | Significance level | SD±M | Significance level |
|||
Education | BS | 10 (5.3) | 8.87±73.55 | 0.714 | 34.29±134.05 | 0.001>** |
6.00±12.55 | 0.234 |
MSc | (85.6) 161 | 15.55±70.81 | 55.83±195.27 | 5.75±14.71 | ||||
PhD | (9) 17 | 13.72±71.45 | 39.63±205.75 | 5.20±14.97 | ||||
Variable | SD±M | The correlation coefficient | Significance level | The correlation coefficient | Significance level | The correlation coefficient | Significance level | |
Age | 6.47±34.84 | 0.235 | 0.001>** | 0.894- | 0.001>** | -0.051 | 0.264 | |
Work history | 7.83±8.87 | 0.224 | 0.001>** | 0.683- | 0.001>** | -0.048 | 0.296 |
Figure 1. Drawing a model of the relationship between job satisfaction variables and mental workload without the moderator of job control and despite it
Table 2. Goodness criteria for fitting the model of the relationship between two variables of workload and job satisfaction despite the variable of job control
Goodness of fit index | CMIN/DF1 | IFI2 | TLI3 | CFI4 | GFI5 | AGFI6 | RMR7 | RMSEA8 | |
The relationship model between the two variables of workload and job satisfaction and the variable of job control | 3.48 | 0.923 | 0.902 | 0.921 | 0.859 | 0.812 | 0.895 | 0.067 | |
The acceptable level | Less than 5 | More than 0.08 | More than 0.08 | More than 0.08 | More than 0.08 | More than 0.08 | More than 0.08 | Less than 0.08 | |
1) Chi-square/DF 2) incremental fit index 3) Tucker-Lewis Index 4) Comparative Fit Index |
5) goodness of fit index 6) adjusted goodness of fit index 7) root mean square residual 8(Root Mean Square Error of Approximation |
In the present study, the relationship between mental workload and job satisfaction was studied by examining the mediating role of job control variable in nurses. The results of the study showed that job control can adequately explain the relationship between intellectual workload and job satisfaction.
In addition, the results of regression analysis showed that job control has been able to reduce the negative effect of intellectual workload on job satisfaction to some extent. The results obtained can be explained by the Karasek demand-control model.
The results of the present study showed that there is a significant and inverse relationship between mental workload and job satisfaction of nurses. Redman also stated in his study that increasing stress and job demand reduces nurses' satisfaction in the workplace and consequently reduces the quality of nursing care [24].
The graphic model indicates a significant and negative relationship between the two variables of mental workload and job satisfaction and despite the variable of job control, the relationship between the two variables of workload and job satisfaction has increased, because with increasing job control, mental workload decreases to some extent. Also, following the reduction of mental workload, job satisfaction increases.
The results of the present study showed that there is a significant direct relationship between the variables of age, work experience and mental workload and with increasing age and work experience, the amount of mental workload increases. But the relationship between age, work experience and job satisfaction is negative. In other words, job satisfaction has decreased with age and work experience.
According to the graphic model, the relationship between workload variables and job satisfaction in nurses has been strong; this may be due to the high level of mental workload and the diversity of nurses' responsibilities. Some studies have shown that nurses are more exposed to psychological problems and caring stressors than other groups [30, 29].
High levels of job control are associated with increased job satisfaction and reduced workload. As a result, in order to reduce the mental workload and increase job satisfaction, job control of nurses can be increased to improve working conditions.
The authors express their gratitude to Shushtar University of Medical Sciences.
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
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