Nurses Returning to School: Motivators, Inhibitors and Job Satisfaction

•Impact of motivators, inhibitors, and job satisfaction on return to school examined.•First study to examine motivators, inhibitors, and job satisfaction together.•Perceived employer discouragement directly impact intent to return to school.•Time constraints directly impact intent to return to school.•Motivation and job satisfaction contributed to a nurse's intent to return to school.

Health care employers and national nursing organizations are placing increased emphasis on nurses earning a baccalaureate degree or higher. This study examines the impact of motivators (professional and personal motivation), inhibitors (time constraints and employer discouragement), and job satisfaction on intent to return to school. Approximately half of the employed nurses in Wyoming were surveyed using a mailed questionnaire in the summer of 2013. Perceived employer discouragement and time constraints continued to play a direct role on intent to return to school regardless of nurse motivation or job satisfaction. However, motivation and job satisfaction also contributed to a nurse's intent to return to school. These results suggest that motivation and job satisfaction are significant regarding intent to return to school but can be limited by both perceived discouragement of one's employer and perceived time constraints. In order to meet the increasing demands of a better-educated nursing workforce, a shift in workplace dynamics may be warranted.