The Relationship Between RN Job Satisfaction and Accountability

The purpose of this descriptive correlational secondary data analysis is to describe the relationship between job satisfaction and accountability among registered nurses with clinical responsibilities employed by a rural health care network in the Midwest. The response rate from the primary study is 39%, with 337 RN respondents. The sample for this secondary analysis is 299. The instruments used to measure accountability and job satisfaction are the Specht and Ramler Accountability Index-Individual Referent and the McCloskey-Mueller Satisfaction Scale (MMSS). The results indicate that accountability is perceived to be relatively high and job satisfaction is moderate. Accountability and job satisfaction are significantly correlated at a moderate level. The correlations between the subscales of the MMSS and accountability are all statistically significant but low. The subscales with the highest correlations (e. g., control and responsibility, praise and recognition, professional opportunities, scheduling) provide direction for nurse administrators about important target areas for improvement.