Vanderbilt nurses’ satisfaction with their work environments is among the highest in the nation. (graphic by Medical Art Group)
VUMC nurses’ job satisfaction running strong, survey shows
Vanderbilt University Medical Center nurses are some of the most satisfied nurses in the country, including those at Magnet designated hospitals, according to results from this year's Community Survey.
“We are so proud that we are above the national averages in all questions,” said Marilyn Dubree, M.S.N., executive chief nursing officer.
“This is a reflection of the overall commitment and dedication of everyone in nursing and shows that our Magnet culture is flourishing.”
Nearly 2,200 of the Medical Center's 3,000 nurses participated in the study that asked 63 different questions in four key areas of satisfaction relating to the organization, management and employee as well as the level of commitment among nurses. Ninety-four percent of the items showed improvement from the 2006 survey and 98 percent were above the National Healthcare Average for 2007.
“We know that people participate in surveys if they think their input will be valued and surveys allow us to see how we are doing and what issues we need to address,” said Dubree. “The participation rate of this survey tells us that our nurses want their voices to be heard and to make a profound impact on patient care at Vanderbilt.”
Addressing the results in aggregate, Dubree stressed the importance of scores in satisfaction and retention. Specifically, VUMC nurses feel like they receive recognition for their work, supervisor support and respect from others. Nurses also feel that the Medical Center is a fun place to work. Regarding retention, nurses feel they make a difference and that the Medical Center as a whole makes worthwhile contributions to the community.
“The work our nurse managers are doing is really paying off,” said Dubree. “It's remarkable how much has been done within a year, and yet we need to always be thinking about what we can do better.”