Does Personality Matter in Nursing?: Assessing Suitability as Well as Eligibility When Hiring

Nursing is a profession in which communication, empathy, reliability, and attention to detail are essential, yet difficult to measure, in a potential employee. Nurses are the primary caregivers for patients at their most vulnerable, and the degree of nursing care can mean the difference between life and death, or quality of life after illness. As a result, healthcare organizations and nurse leaders are beginning to consider how best to determine and assess traits essential to optimal patient care and outcomes. Nursing has also proven to be a challenge in regards to organizational recruiting and retention, therefore the right personality traits and its congruence with healthcare organizations’ values is critical in improving nurses’ mental and physical well-being, and job satisfaction that may be a predictor of improved performance, i.e., care of patients, relationship with coworkers, etc. In writing this article, we wish to discuss some of the current methods used to assess trait suitability in nursing professionals, the evidence supporting these methods, and our plan to incorporate and evaluate suitability measures as part of the hiring process.