Job satisfaction among nursing personnel (16PT LC Bold )

Job satisfaction among nursing personnel (16PT LC Bold ) Sushma Kumari Saini, Charanjeev Singh (11PT LC Bold) Abstract (11PT LC Bold): A study was conducted in a tertiary level hospital of a state government to find out job satisfaction among nursing personnel. A self developed Job Satisfaction Questionnaire was administered to one hundred and seventy eight nurses who were selected by systematic random sampling. Results revealed that 77% nurses were satisfied or highly satisfied with their job, 1.7% were dissatisfied and rest 21.3% were undecided about their level of job satisfaction. On an average, nurses were satisfied with achievements related to job, recognition, work, responsibility, supervision and interpersonal relationship. Significantly higher number of married nurses were satisfied as compared to single nurses. Significantly more number of nurses working in Intensive Care Units and Operation Theatre were satisfied as compare to nurses working in other areas of hospital as indicated by Chi Square Test. Higher number of Nursing Supervisors were satisfied than Bed Side Nurses and Nursing Administrators. More number of Nurses with professional qualification Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery were satisfied as compared to degree holder nurses. Though these differences were statistically not significant.(11 PT Normal) Key Words : (12 Pt LC bold) Job satisfaction, satisfied, dissatisfied, nursing. (12 Pt Normal) Correspondence at : (10 Pt. Italic, Bold) Mrs. Sushma Kumari Saini (10 Pt. bold, Italic) Clinical Instructor, National Institute of Nursing Education, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.(10Pt. italic, normal) (12 Pt. Normal) Illness creates dependence. Sick needs not only medical care and treatment but nursing care also. This care is continuous requirement, twenty four hours a day and seven days a week. Such a care is multidimensional and complex and can be provided by nurses who are professionally sound and personally satisfied with their job. For improving nursing care it is the responsibility of hospital administration to provide an environment to keep nurses satisfied and emotionally stable which will in turn improve the quality of nursing care and satisfy the patients. The present study is aimed to find out the levels of job satisfaction among nursing personnel. 64

Materials and methods (12 Pt. Bold) A state government tertiary level hospital was selected for study. Hospital has 1259 beds and 559 nurses are working in it. Nursing staff was divided into three groups i.e. Nursing Administrators, Supervisors and Bedside Nurses. Nursing Superintendent, Matron and Assistant Matron were grouped as Administrators. Nursing Sisters were grouped as Supervisors and Staff Nurses as Bedside Nurses. All the Administrators, 50% Supervisors and 25% bedside nurses were selected by systematic random sampling. Total 178 nurses constituted the sample. Nurses were asked to fill a questionnaire, which is comprised of two parts. Part A is comprised of socio demographic profile, part B comprised of job satisfaction scale based on F.Herzberg s Motivation and Hygiene Theory. Job satisfaction scale is made up of ten sub scales based on ten factors of this theory. Among these four are motivating factors or satisfying factors viz. achievement, recognition, responsibility and work. Another six factors are hygiene or maintenance factors viz. policies, supervision, fringe benefits, interpersonal relationships, personal life and working conditions 1. Each sub scale consisted of six statements ( Total sixty statements). Nurses were asked to answer each statement on five points Likert Scale i.e. strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree and strongly disagree. Five scores were given to the answer strongly agree, 4 scores to agree, 3 scores to undecided, 2 scores to disagree and one score to strongly disagree. Hence maximum score was 300 and minimum 60. Results(12 Pt. Bold) Sample Characteristics A total 178 nurses filled the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire. They were in the age range of 23-59 years (mean 42±8.6 years).about half (47.8%) nurses were in the age group of 41 to 50 years. All of them were females. Most of them were married (93.3%). Majority were Hindus (95%) and from general category (86.5%). About two third of them were from urban background (64%). As per their academic qualifications 127(71.3%) nurses were undergraduate and rest 51(28.7%) were graduate and above. Professional qualifications of 165(92.7%) nurses was General Nursing and Midwifery and 13(7.3%) had completed B.Sc. Nursing (Table- 2) Two third of the nurses i.e. 120(67.4%) were Bed Side Nurses, 54(30.3%) were Supervisors and 4(2.3%) were Nursing Administrators. Their experience ranged from 6 months to 36 years (mean 20 +8.6 years) (Table- 2). They worked in varied number of areas ranging from 1-17. Level of satisfaction Higher score on Job Satisfaction Scale indicates higher level of job satisfaction. Score on the job satisfaction ranged from 119 to 284 (minimum = 60 and maximum = 300) with a mean score of 221(SD+27). It has been observed that 113(63.5%) nurses were satisfied with their job, 24(13.5%) were highly satisfied, 38(21.3%) were undecided about their level of satisfaction and only 3(1.7%) were dissatisfied with the job (Table-1). 65

Table 1 : Job satisfaction of nurses (12 Pt. caption bold) Sr. Variables Highly Satisfied Undecided Dissatisfied Highly Average & No. Satisfied Dissatisfied SD score n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) Overall 24 (13.5) 113 (63.5) 38(21.3) 3 (1.7) - 221±27 satisfaction 1. Achievement 70 (39.3) 65 (36.5) 27(15.2) 10 (5.6) 6 (3.4) 23.2±4.9 2. Recognition 60 (33.7) 111 (62.4) 6 ( 3.4) 1 (0.6) - 24.8±2.6 3 Work 71 (39.9) 82 (46.1) 20(11.2) 4 (2.2) 1 (0.6) 24.3±4 4. Responsibility 47 (26.4) 93 (52.2) 33(18.5) 4 (2.2) 1 (0.6) 23.5±3.7 5. Policies and 16 ( 9.0) 79 (44.4) 62(34.8) 15 (8.4) 6 (3.4) 20.2±3.9 Administration 6. Supervision 26 (14.6) 120 (67.4) 21(11.8) 9 (5.1) 2 (1.1) 22.3±3.5 7. Salary and 11 (6.2) 54 (30.3) 59(33.1) 46(25.8) 8 (4.5) 18.4±4.7 Fringe benefits 8. Interpersonal 63 (35.4) 103 (57.9) 9 (5.1) 1 (0.6) 2 (1.1) 24.8±3.4 relationship 9. Working Conditions 27 (15.2) 85 (47.8) 43(24.2) 19(10.7) 4 (2.2) 21.3±4.6 10. Personal life 15 ( 8.4) 51 (28.7) 84(47.2) 27(15.2) 1 (0.6) 19.4±3.9 due to job Score in each section Maximum = 30 Minimum = 6 Over all score Maximum = 300 Minimum = 60 On sub scales related to motivating or satisfying factors on the average nurses were satisfied or highly satisfied with achievements in the job(75.8%), recognition(96.1%), responsibility (78.6%) and work(86%). Sub scales on hygiene or maintenance factors, nurses on the average were satisfied or highly satisfied with supervision (82%), interpersonal relationship within the team (93.3%) and working conditions (63%). Where as on the average nurses were undecided about their level of satisfaction with salary and fringe benefits, policy and administration and personal life due to job. As only 36.5% nurses were satisfied or highly satisfied with salary and fringe benefits, 37.1 percent were satisfied or highly satisfied with personal life due to job and 53.4% were satisfied or highly satisfied with policy and administration of hospital and rest of them were undecided as per their level of satisfaction or dissatisfied (Table-1). Significantly more number of married nurses and nurses working in Intensive Care Units and Operation Theatre were satisfied than single nurses and nurses working in other areas respectively as revealed by Chi Square Test (P<.05)(Table-2). More number of nurses were satisfied or highly satisfied in age group of 21-30 years, from other backward classes, from urban background as compared to nurses in age group of 31 years and above, from general category and from rural background respectively (Table-2). More number of nurses with qualification of under 66

graduation, professional qualification of qualification B.Sc. Nursing and nurses having General Nursing and Midwifery and having less more than 10 years of experience respectively. than 10 years of experience were satisfied or Higher percentage of Nursing supervisors highly satisfied as compared to nurses with were satisfied as compared to Bed side Nurses graduation qualification, professional and Nursing Administrators.(Table-2) Table-2 : Job satisfaction of nurses in relation to socio-demographical variables and work profile Sr. Variables Highly Satisfied Undecided dissatisfied Total X 2 No. Satisfied N=178 n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) 1. Age in years 21-30 1 (6.2) 12 (75.0) 3 (18.8) - 16 31-40 7 (12.7) 37 (67.3) 10 (18.2) 1 (1.8) 55 41-50 12 (14.1) 52 (61.2) 19 (22.4) 2 (2.4) 85 3.418 51-60 4 (18.2) 12 (54.5) 6 (27.3) - 22 2. Religion Hindu 24 (14.2) 106 (62.7) 36 (21.3) 3 (1.8) 169 1.746 Sikh - 7 (77.8) 2 (22.2) - 9 3. Marital Status Unmarried - 5 (55.6) 3 (33.3) 1(11.1) 9 Married 24 (14.4) 107 (63.9) 35 (21.1) 1( 0.6) 167 Widowed - - - 1(100) 1 66.850* Divorced/Separated - 1 (100) - - 1 4. Academic Qualification Undergraduate 18 (14.1) 85 (67.0) 23 (18.1) 1( 0.8) 127 Graduate 6 (11.8) 28 (54.9) 15 (29.4) 2( 3.9) 51 5.284 5. Professional Qualification General Nsg and 22 (13.3) 108 (65.5) 33 (20.0) 2 (1.2) 165 Midwifery B Sc. Nursing 2 (1.2) 5 (38.5) 5 (38.5) 1 (7.7) 13 6.347 6. Background Urban 17 (15.0) 73 (64.0) 23 (20.2) 1 (0.8) 114 Rural 7 (11.0) 40 (62.5) 15 (23.4) 2 (3.1) 64 1.929 7. Designation Nursing Administrators - 2 (50.0) 2 (50.0) - 4 Nursing Supervisors 13 (24.1) 33 (61.1) 8 (14.8) - 54 11.185 Bedside Nurses 11 (9.2) 78 (65.0) 28 (23.3) 3 (2.5) 120 8. No. of years in job < 10 1 ( 3.7) 22 (81.5) 4 (14.8) - 27 > 11 23 (15.2) 91 (60.3) 34 (22.5) 3( 2.0) 151 4.714 9. Place of work General ward - 20 (71.4) 8 (28.6) - 28 Specialty ward 6 (9.0) 47 (70.1) 13 (19.4) 1 (1.5) 67 Intensive Care Unit 4 (28.6) 9 (64.3) 1 (7.1) - 31 Operation Theater 10 (32.3) 19 (61.3) 1 ( 3.2) 1 (3.2) 14 40.674* Emergency ward - 6 (60.0) 4 (40.0) - 10 Out Patient Department 3 (15.8) 7 (36.8) 9 (47.7) - 19 Nursing Office 1 (11.1) 5 (11.1) 2 (22.2) 1(11.1) 9 *P<.05 67

Discussion Over all score on the nurses Job Satisfaction Scale indicates that most of nurses (77 percent) were satisfied or highly satisfied with their job. Hence more number of nurses was satisfied than dissatisfied. Similar findings have been reported by one more author as well 2. Where as different findings were reported in another study that more number of nurses were undecided as per their level of satisfaction as compared to satisfied and dissatisfied nurses 3. Lower level of job satisfaction was reported by few authors i.e. 19 percent, 34 percent and 61 percent nurses were reported as satisfied in different studies. 4-6 Findings reveal that on the average nurses were satisfied in terms of achievements, recognition, work, responsibility, supervision working conditions and interpersonal relationship. Similarly it was reported in one of the meta analysis study that job satisfaction is strongly related with stress and commitment and moderately related with recognition, autonomy, communication with peers and supervisors. Variables with small to moderately relate to satisfaction were fairness, locus of control, age, years of experience, education and professionalism 7. Behavior of manager is reported to influence the level of satisfaction among nurses 8. Job satisfaction is related to content and work environment 8. Nurses have shown high satisfaction on physical need satisfaction, working conditions and wage satisfaction 10. Nurses enjoy their work and working with patient is a strong source of satisfaction for them 5. Strength of culture and job satisfaction has cause and effect relationship was also reported in the literature 11. Where as finding of another study reveals that interpersonal relationships are very important in determining job satisfaction 12. It was reported by another author that area of greater satisfaction among nurses were recognition from nursing peers, doctors with whom they worked, amount of responsibility, immediate supervisors, salary, child care facilities, flexibility in schedule hours of work, week end offs, opportunity to write and publish and opportunity to participate in research 6. Nurses were satisfied with personnel policy of working i.e. leaves, type of shift, days off, salary and allowances (although low) and accommodations. They were satisfied for equipment and their replacement 13 Nurses were on the average undecided on the level of satisfaction with salary and fringe benefits, policy and administration and personal life due to job in the present study. Where as it has been reported in the literature that working conditions are most serious source of dissatisfaction among nurses. Problem with recognition, autonomy, gender family role also contribute as a source of dissatisfaction 5. Nurses were dissatisfied for sanction of leave and compensation for extra duty. They were dissatisfied with insufficient linen and their mending 13. It has been further reported that nurses have shown low level of satisfaction on ego need satisfaction, related with supervisor and individual job satisfaction 10. Another reported dissatisfaction factors are not recognition or support by 68

manager, criticizing during crisis and not following through on problems 8. Factors such as lack of promotion, rewards for outstanding performance, recognizing the qualification, respect from class IV employees, provision of accommodation and supply of equipment were considered as dissatisfying. Working during night duty is also considered as dissatisfying factor 3. Another reported source of dissatisfaction were inadequate working conditions, counter productive attitude within employing organization, remuneration, unreasonable expectations of employers or supervisors. Other reasons were gender role issues, collegial relationship, nursing education and lack of respect and recognition 6. Over all most of nurses were satisfied with their job. Nurses were satisfied with achievement related to job, recognition, work, responsibility, supervision and interpersonal relationship and undecided on the level of satisfaction with salary and fringe benefits, policy and administration and personal life due to job. Significantly more number of married nurses were satisfied or highly satisfied as compared to single nurses. Significantly higher number of nurses working in Intensive Care Units and Operation Theatre were satisfied or highly satisfied as compare to nurses working in other areas of hospital. In order to have efficient and productive nurses and satisfied patients it is the responsibility of Nursing Administrators to know the satisfying and dissatisfying factors related to their job and take necessary actions accordingly. References (12 Pt. bold) 1. Pugh DS. Organization Theory Selected Reading. Penguin business library publication; 2:334-350. 2. Kangas S, Kee CC, Waddle RMW. Organizational factor, nurses job satisfaction and patient satisfaction with nursing care. The Journal of Nursing Administration 1979; 29:32-42. 3. Ghai S. Nursing Service Administration A case study of Nehru Hospital, PGIMER, Chandigarh. An unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. Panjab University 1998. 4. Chaubey PC, Sharma RK. Nursing job satisfaction A study. Hospital Administration 1989; 26:254-262. 5. Saymour E, Buscherhof JR. Sources and consequences of satisfaction and dissatisfaction in nursing: A research review. International Journal of Nursing Studies 1991; 28: 109-124. 6. Norman IJ, Borda RG. Factors influencing turnover and absence of nurses: A research review. International Journal of Nursing Studies 1997; 34:385-394. 7. Blegan MA. Nurses job satisfaction: A meta analysis of related variables. Nursing Research 1993; 42:36-40. 8. McNeese-Smith DK. The influence of manager behavior on nurses job satisfaction, productivity, and commitment. The Journal of Nursing Administration 1997; 27:47-55. 9. Irvine DM, Evans MG. Job satisfaction and turnover among nurses: integrating research findings across studies. Nursing Research 1995;44:246-253. 10. Joshi HB, Dubey BL. Personality dimensions and job satisfaction of nurses. Nursing Journal of India 1976;67:191-192. 11. Tzeng HM. The influence of nurses working motivation and job satisfaction on intention to quit : An empirical investigation in Taiwan. International Journal of Nursing Studies 2002;39:867-878. 12. Padman R. Extroversion, neuroticism and job satisfaction.. Nursing Journal of India1995;86:65-68. 13. Samuel BA. Working condition of nurses In some hospitals in UP. Nursing Journal of India 1974;74:456-459. 69