Page 302 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

JoHNSoN’S BEHAvIoRAL SySTEM MoDEL n 269

antecedents of job satisfaction, whereas com- over time in health care organizations and in
mitment and intent to stay are outcomes. social values effecting employment.
other variables with more moderate corre- J
lations are communication with supervisor, Peggy A. Miller
recognition, routinization, communication Diane K. Boyle
with peers, fairness, and locus of control.
In general, variables measuring job charac-
teristics (e.g., routinization, autonomy) and
work environment (e.g., leadership, stress) JohnSon’S behavioral
have stronger relationships than economic
(e.g., pay, opportunity elsewhere) or indi- SyStem model
vidual difference (e.g., age, experience, orga-
nizational tenure) variables. More recently,
researchers of the organizational context for Johnson’s behavioral system model is a nurs-
nursing have found higher nurse-to-patient ing conceptual model developed in response
ratios are associated with lower job satis- to a need to clarify nursing’s social mission
faction and higher emotional exhaustion as directed to the care of human beings and
well as higher patient risk-adjusted mortality identify the nature of the body of knowledge
and failure to rescue (Aiken, Clarke, Sloane, needed to attain the goal of nursing. Within
Sochalski, & Silber, 2002). the model, seven behavioral subsystems
A high priority for current and future carry out specialized functions needed to
research is examining the relationship maintain the integrity of the whole behav-
between nurses’ job satisfaction and out- ioral system and to manage its relationship
comes of care, such as quality of care, patient to the environment. Behavioral actions asso-
satisfaction, adverse events (e.g., falls, pres- ciated with each subsystem are motivated
sure ulcers, failure to rescue, and hospital- by a particular drive and reflect the person’s
acquired infections), mortality, and the like. predisposition to act in certain ways as well
These relationships need to be studied not as all of the choices for actions that are avail-
only with RNs in acute care settings, but in able to the person.
the community, home care, and long-term The function of the attachment or affilia-
care facilities with all members of the nurs- tive subsystem is the security needed for sur-
ing workforce. Exploring the potential con- vival as well as social inclusion, intimacy,
tribution of nurse job satisfaction in research and formation and maintenance of social
testing interventions for improving patient bonds. The function of the dependency subsys-
care and outcomes is imperative. tem is the succoring behavior that calls for a
Several issues surrounding nursing job response of nurturance as well as approval,
satisfaction need more elucidation. First, the attention or recognition, and physical assis-
issue of whether job satisfaction and dissat- tance. The ingestive subsystem is concerned
isfaction are separate constructs warrants with the function of appetite satisfaction in
further attention, as nurses’ satisfaction and terms of when, how, what, how much, and
dissatisfaction may associate differently with under what conditions the person eats, all of
outcomes of care. Second, the degree to which which is governed by social and psychologi-
nurses’ positive and negative affectivity con- cal considerations as well as biologic require-
found relationships between job satisfaction ments for food and fluids. The eliminative
and variables such as autonomy, job stress, subsystem is concerned with the function
burnout, and emotional exhaustion is not of elimination in terms of when, how, and
clear. Last, the effect of diverse cultural val- under what conditions the person eliminates
ues needs further study, as well as changes wastes. The functions of the sexual subsystem