The Relationship between Job-Demand for Learning and Job-Related Learning with the Need for Achievement in Nurses of Teaching Hospitals of Esfahan University of Medical Sciences

Job-related learning occurs as individuals acquire knowledge and skills helping them to perform their jobs effectively. The amount of job-related learning depends on the job demands and is facilitated through the need for achievement. The main purpose of this research was to examine whether the need for achievement moderates the relationship between job-demand for learning and job-related learning. This is a cross-sectional study in which path analysis was used to examine the correlation between the variables. The population of the study consisted of the nurses employed in hospitals affiliated to Esfahan University of Medical Sciences in spring 2010. There were 208 male and female nurses who were selected using cluster random sampling. Three questionnaires to assess perceived job-related learning, Job-demand for learning and the nurses’ need for achievement were used. The data were analyzed using LISREL 8.5 software for descriptive and inferential statistics. There was a significant positive correlation between the need for achievement and job-demand for learning. There was also a significant positive correlation between Job-demand for learning and Job-related learning. Other findings showed that job-demand for learning, in the presence of a need for achievement, explained 22% of Job-related learning. In addition, the results of structural equation modeling demonstrated that the relationship among variables with indicators such as GFI=0.86, AGFI= 0.86, and RMSEA=0.09 was approved. The job-related learning of nurses can be facilitated through increasing the need for achievement which allows establishing their own learning and performance goals rather than being imposed to set those goals.