Abstract: Nurses are key actors in the healthcare sector and their satisfaction is essential for patient care delivery. Assessing their professional satisfaction at the closing of a national health system reform round is therefore vital. This cross-sectional study estimated the relative importance of professional satisfaction components, evaluated the overall level of job satisfaction among nurses, and examined how the components of their perceived satisfaction vary with demographic variables. A total of 276 registered nurses from three (3) county hospitals across Jiangsu Province in China were surveyed using the Index of Work Satisfaction scale. Multiple regression models represented as structural equation models were used to estimate the effects of demographic variables on each dimension of job satisfaction. Nurses appeared to be more satisfied with their pay and professional status but dissatisfied with their task requirements and interactions.