| The nursing literature has shown that administrative support is important to the job satisfaction of nurses. Although several studies have suggested that nurses feel more supported when supervisors display certain behaviors, there is a paucity of research on perceived value congruence between the nurse and the administrator and the perceived level of administrative support.;The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among nurse work values, perceived administrative values and perceived administrative support. Grounded theory methodology was used to develop a theory of work values and administrative support. Data was gathered by interviewing sixteen professional nurses and reviewing twelve completed surveys from professional nurses responding to the theoretical concepts developed from the interviews.;Nurses do not consciously think in terms of work values when they evaluate their administrators, but it is a key factor in determining their perceptions of administrative support. Nurses have two core work values, one is being valued as a professional and as an individual and the other is "good care". When nurses perceive that their administrators have the same work values, they perceive administrative support and conversely when they perceive that their administrators have different values, they perceive lack of administrative support.;The primary condition that influences the perception of administrative value is proximity. The closer an administrator is to the nurse in terms of physical distance, environmental (similar experiences, similar disciplines, contacts etc.) distance, and organizational (place on the organizational chart) distance, the more accurate the judgment of work values can be and the greater likelihood of the administrator being perceived as having the same work values. The greater the distance, the more likely nurses are to conclude that an administrator has different work values. Staff nurses, therefore, tend to see only their immediate supervisors as making any difference in their work life. The negative effects of proximity can be overcome with administrative visibility and communication.;Implications for further research are drawn from the above theoretical framework. |
