Professional practice and care process of nurses are affected by many factors such as nurses’ lifelong learning tendencies, career barriers, and job satisfaction.
Objective
This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between nurses’ effective lifelong learning tendencies, career barriers, and job satisfaction.
Methods
This study was conducted with 1665 nurses working at a university and a city hospital in Ankara. The study data were collected using the “Personal Data Form”, “Effective Lifelong Learning Scale”, “Career Barriers in Nursing Scale”, and “Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale”.
Results
We found that nurses had high mean scores of effective lifelong learning and moderate mean scores of career barriers and job satisfaction. Effective Lifelong Learning Scale and Career Barriers in Nursing Scale total scores were not significantly correlated; Effective Lifelong Learning Scale correlated positively with Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale; Career Barriers in Nursing Scale correlated negatively with Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale.
Conclusion
Supporting the advancement of nurses and the nursing profession, which will strengthen the future and sustainability of health institutions, will also increase the quality of nursing care and improve patient outcomes. For this reason, we think that increasing nurses’ lifelong learning skills and removing career barriers will have a positive effect on not only their job satisfaction but also patient outcomes.
ŞenyuvaEKayaH. Do the lifelong learning tendencies of nursing students affect their attitudes toward e-learning?Florence Nightingale J Nurs2022; 30: 259–266.
2.
JarvisP. Adult education and lifelong learning: theory and practice. 3rd ed. London: Routledge Falmer, 2004, p.39.
3.
GüleçİÇelikSDemirhanB. What is lifelong learning? An evaluation on definition and scope. Sakarya Univ J Educ2012; 2: 34–48.
4.
ErsoyAYılmazB. Lifelong learning and public libraries in Turkey. Türk Kütüphaneciliği2009; 23: 803–834.
ChukwuedoSO. Technical education graduate students’ career satisfaction and willingness for skills upgrading: the mediating role of lifelong learning opportunities. Int J Educ Res2019; 6: 29–38.
7.
TuparevskaESantibáñezRSolabarrietaJ. Equity and social exclusion measures in EU lifelong learning policies. Int J Lifelong Educ2020; 39: 5–17.
8.
SchuchartCBühler-NiederbergerD. The gap between learners’ personal needs and institutional demands in second chance education in Germany. Int J Lifelong Educ2020; 39: 545–561.
9.
KolawoleODPusoetsileT. What difference does literacy make among adult learners? Impact of adult basic education programme in a rural community in Botswana. J Adult Continuing Educ2021; 28: 227–251.
10.
ChongMCSellickKFrancisK, et al.What influences Malaysian nurses to participate in continuing professional education activities?Asian Nurs Res (Korean Soc Nurs Sci)2011; 5: 38–47.
11.
ShahhosseiniZHamzehgardeshiZ. The facilitators and barriers to nurses’ participation in continuing education programs: a mixed method explanatory sequential study. Glob J Health Sci2015; 7: 184–193.
12.
SandehangPMHariyatiRSriT, et al.Nurse career mapping: A qualitative case study of a new hospital. BMC Nurs2019; 18. doi: 10.1186/s12912-019-0353-z
13.
KahramanFKahramanG. Determining perceived career barriers of nurses working in hospitals. Türk Fen ve Sağlık Dergisi2020; 1: 1–13.
ErdemR. Kariyer yönetimi ve kariyer planlaması. Atatürk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü. Dergisi2008; 12: 199–214.
18.
DonnerGJWheelerMM. Career planning and development for nurses: the time has come. Int Nurs Rev2001; 48: 79–85.
19.
DemirdelenDUlamaŞ. Managers’ opinion and perceptions of career satisfaction: a study in five star hotels in antalya. İşletme Bilimi Dergisi2013; 1: 65–89.
20.
CritesJO. A comprehensive model of career development in early adulthood. J Vocat Behav1976; 9: 105–118.
21.
SwansonJLWoitkeMB. Theory into practice in career assessment for women: assessment and interventions regarding perceived career barriers. J Career Assess1997; 5: 443–462.
22.
BulutAÖzdemirBN. Relationship between perceived career barriers and job satisfaction among nurses. Ordu Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Çalışmaları Dergisi2024; 7: 399–414.
23.
SevinçESabuncuN. The opinions related to career planning and developing applications of the nurses who works at a private hospital. Istanbul Gelisim Univ J Health Sci2018; 6: 585–606.
24.
WeinerB. An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion. J Psychiatr Res1985; 92: 548–573.
25.
SpauldingAHamadiHMoodyL, et al.Do magnet®-designated hospitals perform better on medicare's value-based purchasing program?J Nurs Adm2020; 50: 395–401.
MansurFDiziliFT. A hospital model attracting nurses to the institution: magnet hospitals. Hacettepe Sağlık İdaresi Dergisi2021; 24: 219–233.
28.
Orhaner GündüzG. Banka çalışanlarında iş doyumu ve iş doyumunun örgütsel bağlılığa etkisi. Unpublished Master's Thesis, Gazi University, Turkey, 2016.
29.
DemeroutiEBakkerABNachreinerF, et al.The job demands resources model of burnout. J Appl Psychol2001; 86: 499–512.
30.
BakkerABDemeroutiETarisTW, et al.A multigroup analysis of the job demands-resources model in four home care organizations. Int J Stress Manag2003; 10: 16–38.
31.
Van der HeijdenBBrown MahoneyCXuY. Impact of job demands and resources on nurses’ burnout and occupational turnover intention towards an age-moderated mediation model for the nursing profession. Int J Environ Res Public Health2019; 16: 2011.
32.
JinTZhouYZhangL. Job stressors and burnout among clinical nurses: a moderated mediation model of need for recovery and career calling. BMC Nurs2023; 22: 88.
33.
KohnenDWitteDSchaufeliH, , et al.Engaging leadership and nurse well-being: The role of the work environment and work motivation-a cross-sectional study. Hum Resour Health2024; 22(. doi: 10.1186/s12960-023-00886-6
34.
LentRWBrownSDHackettG. Social cognitive career theory. Career Choice Dev2002; 4: 255–311.
35.
LentRWBrownSDHackettG. Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. J Vocat Behav1994; 45: 79–122.
36.
LiuYChongMCHanY, et al.The mediating effects of self-efficacy and study engagement on the relationship between specialty identity and career maturity of Chinese nursing students: a cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs2024; 23: 39.
37.
KaulbackMK. Correlating self-directed learning abilities to lifelong learning orientation in baccalaureate nursing students. Nurse Educ2020; 45: 347–351.
38.
MlamboMSilénCMcGrathC. Lifelong learning and nurses’ continuing professional development, a metasynthesis of the literature. BMC Nurs2021; 20: 62.
39.
ChangHYChuTLLiaoYN, et al.How do career barriers and supports impact nurse professional commitment and professional turnover intention?J Nurs Manag.2019; 27: 347–356.
40.
WuJWangYYeJ, et al.Barriers to early career development for Chinese nurses with master's degrees: a qualitative study. Nurse Educ Pract2025; 84: 104339.
41.
GünüçSOdabaşıHFKuzuA. Etkili Yaşam Boyu Öğrenme Ölçeğinin geliştirilmesi: geçerlik & güvenirlik çalışması. Eğitim ve Bilim2014; 39: 244–258.
42.
SürerS. Sağlık çalışanlarının hayat boyu öğrenme durumları, mobil öğrenmeye hazır bulunuşlukları ve çevrimiçi mahremiyet kaygıları arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi. Unpublished Master's Thesis, Bartın University, Turkey, 2021.
43.
İşciN. Nedensel yükleme kuramı doğrultusunda verilen eğitimin hemşirelerin kariyer engelleri ve nedensel yüklemeleri üzerine etkisi. Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, İnönü University, Turkey, 2020.
44.
Dokuzoğluİ. Hemşirelikte kariyeri engelleyen bireysel sorunların, mesleki gelişime etkisi Çanakkale kamu hastanesi örneği. Unpublished Master's Thesis, Çanakkale 18 Mart University, Turkey, 2021.
45.
BaycanAF. Analysis of several effects of job satisfaction between different occupational groups. Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, Boğaziçi University, Turkey, 2020.
46.
AylazRAydoğmuşNYayanEH. Determination of job satisfaction levels of nurses. Ann Health Sci Res2017; 6: 12–17.
47.
GeorgeDMalleryM. SPSS For windows step by step: a simple guide and reference, 17.0 update. 10th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2010, p.40.
48.
CooperSS. A brief history of continuing education in nursing in the United States. J Continuing Educ Nurs1973; 4: –9.
49.
CaporiccioJLouisKRLewis-O’ConnorA, et al.Continuing education for Haitian nurses: evidence from qualitative and quantitative inquiry. Ann Glob Health2019; 85: 93.
50.
BasitGBakırD. Determining the lifelong learning motivations of nurses. Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Dergisi. 2023; 5: 17–22.
51.
BektemürGDemirayS. Özdemir Ürkmez D. Career planing of nurses: an example of training and research hospital. Okmeydanı Tıp Dergisi2016; 32: 7–13.
LuHWhileAEBarriballKL. Job satisfaction and its related factors: a questionnaire survey of hospital nurses in mainland China. Int J Nurs Stud2007; 44: 574–588.
54.
KootahiZEYazdaniNParsaH, et al.Professional values and job satisfaction neonatal intensive care unit nurses and influencing factors: a descriptive correlational study. Int J Africa Nurs Sci2023; 18: 100512.
55.
LabragueLJNwaforCETsarasK. Influence of toxic and transformational leadership practices on nurses’ job satisfaction, job stress, absenteeism and turn over intention: a cross-sectional study. J Nurs Manag2020; 28: 1104–1113.
56.
LiuJZhengJLiuK, et al.Work place violence against nurses, job satisfaction, burnout, and patient safety in Chinese hospitals. Nurs Outlook2019; 67: 558–566.
57.
O'HaraMABurkeDDitomassiM, et al.Assessment of millennial nurses’ job satisfaction and professional practice environment. J Nurs Adm2019; 49: 411–417.
58.
PangXZhangMPangH. Analysis of the demand for continuing education of nurses in the department of ınfectious diseases and ıts ınfluencing factors. Evidence-Based Complementary Altern Med2022; 6: –5.
59.
AhnYSChoiJS. Nurses’ perceptions of career ladder systems, job satisfaction and turnover intention: a cross-sectional study. Nurs Open2023; 10: 195–201.
60.
JohnsonAHongHGrothM, et al.Learning and development: promoting nurses’ performance and work attitudes. J Adv Nurs2011; 67: 609–620.
61.
LiuCZhouHJinY, et al.Application of a hybrid multi-criteri on decision-making model for evaluation and improvement of nurses’ job satisfaction. Front Public Health2022; 10: 896061.
62.
YasinYMKerrMSWongCA, et al.Factors affecting job satisfaction among acute care nurses working in rural and urban settings. J Adv Nurs2020; 76: 2359–2368.
63.
HoLHChangSCKauK, et al.The impact of organizational support on practice outcomes in nurse practitioners in Taiwan. J Nurs Res2021; 29: e148.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
