Exploring the relationship between physician accessibility on nurses’ job satisfaction and retention in New Brunswick nursing homes: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

New Brunswick (NB) is facing significant challenges due to its aging population, with 21.9% of the population 65 years of age and older. Older adults often experience higher rates of chronic illness and multiple co-morbidities. Although most older adults prefer to age at home, care in nursing homes (NHs) is often required for those with high needs due to chronic conditions, cognitive impairments, and other health challenges. Residents of NHs often have complex needs that require timely clinical support and collaboration between physicians and nurses. However, little is known about the accessibility of medical staff in NB NHs and its impact on nursing staff. This study employed a cross-sectional exploratory design and examined data collected from the Atlantic Research Collaboration on Long-Term Care, which included 17 NB NHs and 202 licensed nursing staff. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed to examine the potential influence of physician interactions on job satisfaction and intention-to-leave among nursing staff. A statistically significant positive relationship was found between the frequency of physician interactions and job satisfaction; however, no significant relationship was found with intention-to-leave. These findings have important implications for NH practices and policies and future research related to physician accessibility within the NH setting.