Dissertation Abstract

Job Satisfaction Among Radiation Therapy Faculty in Higher Education

Studies have shown that job satisfaction is one of the most consistent variables related to employee retention. The purpose of this study was to investigate job satisfaction levels among radiation therapy educators in the United States and determine which factors predict levels of job satisfaction or dissatisfaction. A non-experimental cross sectional descriptive study was conducted using data obtained via two mailed questionnaires. The long form of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to measure each respondent's job satisfaction. An investigator-developed Radiation therapy Educator Supplemental Data Form was used to obtain demographic information. The survey packet was distributed to 158 radiation therapy educators currently employed in the United States. Multiple discriminant analysis was used to predict which factors significantly influenced job satisfaction. Statistical significance was established at the p = 0.05 level. The investigation found the variables Institutional Support (.000), Compensation (.001), Personnel (.002), Resources (.035), Coworkers (.021), Ability Utilization (.000), Students (.027), and Job Characteristics (.039) as statistically significant. This suggested that these variables were capable of discriminating between the three categorical groups (Group 1 = less satisfied; Group 2 job satisfied; Group 3 = higher satisfied). The variable Advancement (.070) was not statistically significant.

MSQ findings indicated that radiation therapy educators employed in accredited radiation therapy programs in the United States were less than satisfied with their jobs. With a General Satisfaction score of 69.64, radiation therapy educators ranked in the lower 25 th percentile of the "Non-Disabled" norm scale for job satisfaction. Further analysis using multiple discriminant function revealed that Ability Utilization (.696), Institutional Support (.573), Compensation (.555), Personnel (.496), and Job Characteristics (.361) were the most important variables in discriminating between Group 1 and Groups 2 and 3. The variables Resources (.640), Advancement (.602), Students (.405), and Coworkers (.376) discriminated between Group 2 and Group 3.

With this knowledge educational institutions may tailor recruitment and retention efforts to better reflect the positive [important] aspects of being a radiation therapy educator. Increasing radiation therapy educator retention and recruitment efforts may also help offset the current and predicted shortage of not only radiation therapy educators, but also practicing radiation therapy professionals.

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