This cross-sectional national survey was conducted with a survey mailing to nephrology nurses providing direct patient care and managers/administrators of chronic hemodialysis outpatient facilities who were members of a professional nephrology association. The 151 respondents worked for large for-profit companies, large not-for-profit companies, and hospitals.

These study findings, using the Herzberg framework, showed that MMSS factors were significant to nurse job satisfaction. The relationships of the job satisfaction factors of family/work balance and scheduling were found significant to nephrology nurses intent to stay. The age of the nephrology nurse is significant and a predictor of intent to stay.

The study results indicated that managers and administrators were overall more satisfied with their positions than staff nurses, and that the job position directly impacted job satisfaction. Nephrology nurses indicated that quality patient care is a priority and related that they aspire to greater autonomy and empowerment with an opportunity to provide constructive input into decisions that affect their work and their patients. Job retention of skilled clinical nephrology nurses is a concern in an environment with a nurse shortage.

Keywords were used alone or in combination with nursing, hemodialysis, and dialysis: job satisfaction, job satisfaction models, intent to stay or leave, job intention, nurse turnover, nurse retention, nurse recruitment, nurse work environments, nurse-patient ratios, quality of care and mortality, nurse shortage, nurse supply and demand, motivators, empowerment, emotional labor and occupational burnout.