Empirical Study on the Career Development of Hospital Nurse

―Career Anchor Types and Its Formation Period―

Abstract

The essential problems of career development are on matching between the individual needs and organizations' needs. But individuals are different each other and organizations also differ. Furthermore both individuals and organizations constantly changes interacting with it's environment. Thus these matching processes are very complex. This study is conducted on the individual career anchor that will provide important approaches to set a effective Career Development Program (CDP), putting consideration on that the career development includes complex and ambiguous problems. What types are included in the career anchor of nurse and when is it formed? The survey was performed in cooperation with a nursing department of a hospital.

Consequently, five patterns of the career anchor of nurse are found: "Security & Stability", "Service/Dedication to a Cause", "Technical/Functional Competence", "Autonomy & Independence", "Entrepreneurial Creativity". The formation of the career anchor requires the actual working experience for ten years in almost all cases.