As the RN charge nurse on the night shift in a small long-term care fa

QUESTION

As the RN charge nurse on the night shift in a small long-term care facility, you’ve found that there is little turnover among your LPN and nursing assistant (NA) staff members,

but they are not very motivated to go beyond their job descriptions in their work. Which of the following strategies might motivate the staff and lead to greater job satisfaction?

a. Ask the director of nursing to offer higher wages and bonuses for extra work for the night LPNs and NAs.
b. Allow the LPNs and NAs greater decision-making power within the scope of their positions in the institution.
c. Hire additional staff so that there are more staff available for enhanced care and individual workloads are lessened.
d. Ask the director of nursing to increase job security for night staff by having them sign contracts that guarantee work.

ANSWER:

ANS: B
Hygiene factors such as salary, working conditions, and security are consistent with Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation; meeting these needs avoids job dissatisfaction. Motivator factors such as recognition and satisfaction with work promote a satisfying and enriched work environment. Transformational leaders use motivator factors liberally to inspire work performance and increase job satisfaction.