Job Satisfaction of Nurses at the Armed Forces Hospital, Southern Region,ABDULLAH M. AL-WADEI
Abstract
Objectives: To explore the extent of job satisfaction among nurses serving at a military hospital and the possible factors associated with nurses’ job satisfaction.
Materials and Methods: This study comprised 300 nurses (2 Saudis and 298 non-Saudis), serving at the Armed Forces Hospital, Southern Region (AFHSR), in Khamis Mushayt City. Data were collected using a sociodemographic data collection sheet and a self-administered job satisfaction 31-statements questionnaire that has been designed and tested by the researcher.
Results: There were more dissatisfied nurses (60%) than satisfied (40%). Family and social factors were expressed as the highest sources for satisfaction (93.3%) while incentives received the least satisfaction (27.3%). Job satisfaction did not differ significantly according personal characteristics of nurses or according to their duration of experience in nursing or their place of work. Nurses’ job satisfaction was significantly higher among nurses with university qualifications than those with Diploma or other qualifications (p=0.007). Nurses who have been working in Saudi Arabiafor 5 years or more were significantly more satisfied than those who have been working for a shorter duration (p=0.006).
Conclusions: Nurses at the AFHSR are generally dissat-isfied with their jobs. The sources of least satisfaction are the organizational factors and work environment conditions. The incentive factors are the most dissatisfying factors. Individual characteristics do not have significant impact on nurses’ job satisfaction. This study also concluded that the lower the nurses’ qualification the lower her job satisfaction. The number of Saudi nurses is very limited and the majority of nurses are new comers who are least satisfied.
Recommendations: The factors behind the low contribution of Saudis in nursing should be explored and managed. Female Saudi students should be encouraged and motivated to study nursing. To keep nurses satisfied with their jobs, different sources of dissatisfaction should be regularly evaluated. Nurses’ payment policies and rules for having incentives should be revised. Further studies on job satisfaction among nurses and other health care providers are needed.