Career Formation in Nurses and Factors to Effect on It

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to verify our hypothesis of career in nurses and clarify the factors that have an influence on it. We define career formation in nurses as the ability to continue as a professional nurse based on mature characteristics as an adult, cultivated through the various roles and situations of family and working life. Subjects were 1,000 nurses working in a general hospital in a prefecture of Japan. Subjects were administered a questionnaire, which was created from the results of a previous study and interviews, measuring items related to “establishment as an individual,” “establishment as a professional,” “characteristics of family relations” and “characteristics related to working environment.” Basic attributes, duties, work environment, satisfaction with working condition, and the intention to continue working as a nurse were also investigated. Factors were analyzed using covariant structure analysis. The results verified that maturity as an adult, comprising “establishment as an individual,” “establishment as a professional,” “characteristics of family relations” and “characteristics related to working environment,” make continuity of nurse profession possible. Periods of working as a nurse, a degree of satisfaction for working conditions, and existence of professional model person or mentor in working environment related to career formation. The degree of satisfaction with working condition directly affected the intention to continue working as a nurse.