An examination of nurse practitioners/advanced practice nurses’ job satisfaction internationally

Aim
To examine the level of job satisfaction of nurse practitioners/advanced practice nurses in developing and developed countries.

Background
The nurse practitioner/advanced practice nurse has the advanced, complex skills and experience to play an important role in providing equitable health care across all nations.

Introduction
Key factors that contribute to health disparities include lack of access to global health human resources, the right skill mix of healthcare providers and the satisfaction and retention of quality workers.

Methods
The study utilized a descriptive analysis and cross-sectional survey methodology with quantitative and qualitative sections of 1419 job satisfaction survey respondents from an online survey.

Results
Age, number of hours worked in a week and length of time that nurse practitioners/advanced practice nurses worked in their current jobs were statistically significant in job satisfaction. A key barrier was the lack of respect from supervisors and physicians.

Discussion
It was clear from the number of comments in the qualitative section of the survey that having a wide scope of practice is rewarding and challenging to the nurse practitioner and advanced practice nurse.

Conclusion and implications for health policy
The challenges to transform healthcare gaps of access into a better distribution of health care in all countries would constitute a systematic change in policy including providing education and training for doctors and nurses that will match the skills needed in the workplace; emphasizing the right skill mix for the healthcare team; supporting advanced practice nurses in the workplace; and utilizing all healthcare providers to the fullest extent of their abilities.