Some Problems Concerning the Assessment of Job Characteristics in Nursing Work

Abstract

The question of whether one should use subjective rather than “objective” assessments of job characteristics is still the subject of a vigorous discussion in analytical studies of jobs and in job design. In nursing work situations, too, the attention of managers and researchers for such studies is growing. In this article the results of a study are presented in which a comparison is made between two kinds of assessments: job characteristics as judged by task performers (nurses) and job characteristics as judged by non-task performers (nursing management). Differences and agreements between mean scores as well as between correlations with dependent variables like job satisfaction were analysed. Most agreement seems to be on the ratings of “complexity and difficulty”, “work pressure”, and “promotion and growth opportunities”. As to “feedback and clarity”, “autonomy”, and “patient caring opportunities”, differences between the ratings have been found. It appears that a larger number of correlations between the nurse-rated job characteristics and the reaction variables is found to be statistically significant than between the management-rated job characteristics and the reaction variables. Social, organizational, and methodological reasons for the observed differences are put forward.