Quality of working life of surgeons in multidisciplinary hospitals

Abstract

The quality of work life can directly affect both the general wellbeing and safety of the employee. Quality of work life (QWL) is a concept reflecting the employee’s satisfaction with the conditions of his/her labor activity. It can influence work capacity, labor productivity and - if neglected - cause professional burnout of the employee. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of work life of surgeons in multidisciplinary hospitals using the Walton questionnaire. The study was conducted among surgeons in Saratov and Engels. The quality of work life was assessed using the 35-item Walton questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regressions and Student’s independent t-test were used to analyze the data. Seventy-four surgeons participated in the study, with a mean age of 38.9 years (± 4.3) and mean years of experience of 8 years (± 4.33). The majority (89.2%) rated their QWL as average. The criteria selected as the most influential on overall QWL: ability development and general living space received the highest and lowest scores from the respondents, respectively. In addition to improving the workplaces, equipment and instruments used by surgeons, comprehensive improvement of all factors affecting the quality of work life is needed.