The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of general conflict management style, clinically assertive behavior, and collegial behavior on job satisfaction in NICU nurses.

The purposive sample consisted of 100 registered nurses employed in Level III NICU's in the New York metropolitan area. Five instruments and a demographic data sheet were used. Two instruments were adaptations of Reeder and Stevens assertiveness and collegiality scales. The assertiveness scale (NICU Nurses Assertiveness Scale, NNAS) was adapted to include situations in which there were violations of appropriate protocols for care of infants in a NICU by nurses and physicians. The collegiality scale (NICU Nurses Collegiality Scale, NNCS) originally designed to measure perceptions of collegial behaviors between nurses and physicians, was modified to include behaviors between nurses. Additionally, the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), the Index of Work Satisfaction (IWS), and the Crowne Marlowe Social Desirability Scale were used.

Subjects reported a high use of clinically assertive behaviors on the NICU Nurses Assertiveness Scale as compared to the majority of nurses (67%) who were found to be unassertive on the general assertiveness measure of the TKI. Respondents scored moderately high on the NICU Nurses Collegiality Scale. Although the respondents reported a moderate level of job satisfaction, there was no correlation between assertiveness, collegiality, and job satisfaction.

Analysis of demographic data showed a statistically significant relationship between clinically assertive behaviors and longevity in the nurses' present NICU position. Interestingly, no significant relationships were found between clinically assertive behaviors and years in practice, years working as a NICU nurse, education level, age, or racial category.

Findings of this study suggest that there may be a difference between general assertive communication style and clinically assertive behaviors. Further study must be done to examine whether clinically assertive behaviors are a measure of assertion or clinical competence.

The findings of this study do not support the commonly held belief that collegiality influences job satisfaction. It reinforces the fact that factors associated with job satisfaction are varied and difficult to assess, and implies that job satisfaction may be influenced more by environmental factors.