DOES SELF-SCHEDULING INCREASE JOB SATISFACTION 1 Does Self-scheduling Increase Nurses’ Job Satisfaction? An Integrative Literature Review

Background: Flexible work schedules give nurses the freedom and control to manage demands of work and life, while allowing the organisation to meet their staffing needs. Aim: To explore nurses’ perceptions of their job satisfaction and its relationship to selfscheduling. Significant to Nursing Practice and Leadership: Nurses and nurse leaders have the potential to change the way scheduling of their work shifts takes place. Understanding the complex context in which self-scheduling occurs requires research and collaboration to ensure that nurses’ job satisfaction is maintained while meeting organisational obligations. One strategy to accomplish this is through the introduction and support of a self-scheduling system that has potential to balance the individual needs of nurses as well as the organisation. Methods: An integrative review of published peer-reviewed research and personal narratives that examine nurses self-scheduling and job satisfaction is the method of this inquiry. Quality appraisals were completed on all included articles. Results: A total of nine articles, including personal narratives, satisfied the inclusion criteria. Current evidence suggests that self-scheduling is one of a number of factors that influence job satisfaction However, implementation of self-scheduling programs is not without its challenges. Conclusion: The findings of this integrative literature review indicate that self-scheduling programs underpin more flexible work schedules for nurses and may result in benefits for both nurses and the organisation.