Structural model of certified pharmacy technicians' job satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of worklife attitudes on certified pharmacy technicians' job satisfaction.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive design.

SETTING: United States in January 2004.

PARTICIPANTS: Random sample of 3200 certified pharmacy technicians (CPhTs) acquired from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.

INTERVENTION: Mail survey.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Responses to previously validated instruments measuring quality of worklife attitudes. Hypothesized relationships between these worklife attitudes (job stress, future uncertainty, career commitment, organizational commitment, supervisor support, coworker support, employer support) and job satisfaction were tested with structural equation modeling.

RESULTS: The results provided adequate support for the hypothesized, partially mediated (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.091, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.073), fully mediated (CFI = 0.091, RMSEA = 0.073) and direct effects (CFI = 0.922, RMSEA = 0.066) models, each exhibiting moderate fit. As predicted, job stress negatively affected job satisfaction among CPhTs. However, the negative effects of job stress were mitigated by supervisor support, which, along with employer and coworker support, was positively related to job satisfaction. Future uncertainty also was found to be negatively related to job satisfaction; this relationship was mediated by organizational commitment.

CONCLUSION: Job stress was present in CPhTs, although not to the degree pharmacists have reported it. Job stress negatively affected job satisfaction, but this was mitigated by supervisor support. CPhTs reported uncertainty about their future career plans. Commitment to their current employer lessened this uncertainty. Pharmacy managers should consider including CPhTs in goal setting and career planning.