The relationship between nurses’ effective lifelong learning tendencies, career barriers, and job satisfaction: A cross-sectional study
Work, vol.84, no.1, pp.239-249, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 84 Issue: 1
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1177/10519815251401878
- Journal Name: Work
- Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, ABI/INFORM, CINAHL, Educational research abstracts (ERA), Environment Index, INSPEC, MEDLINE, Psycinfo
- Page Numbers: pp.239-249
- Keywords: career, career barriers, job satisfaction, life-long learning, nursing, quantitative research
- Hacettepe University Affiliated: No
Abstract
Background: 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.