Exploring the relationship between nursing professional values and job satisfaction in Vietnam

Abstract

Background & Aim: Nursing professional values and job satisfaction are two significant concepts that are influenced by culture and working conditions, and therefore their evaluation in different societies may provide different results. This study explores the relationship between five factors of nursing professional values (i,e, caring, activism, trust, professional, and justice) and job satisfaction among nurses in Vietnam a developing country.

Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional survey is conducted with a total of 669 Vietnamese nurses through the Vietnamese Nursing Association network by purposive convenience sampling. The main questionnaire with 32 items was used to measure nurses' professional values and job satisfaction. The data is analyzed by using IBM SPSS 26 and Smart PLS 3 software. A structural equation model of partial least squares (SEM-PLS) was utilized.

Results: Among five factors of professional value, activism is the most influential factor on job satisfaction, followed by justice. Caring, professionalism, and justice did not show significant influence, which could be explained by the structure and organization of healthcare systems in Vietnam context characterized by hierarchical structures, resource constraints, high patient-to-nurse ratios, limited professional development opportunities, and cultural factors.

Conclusion: This study explores the relationship between nursing professional values and job satisfaction among Vietnamese nurses, revealing that activism and justice significantly influence job satisfaction.