Nurses' job satisfaction: A multi-center study

Abstract

Introduction: Nurses, including expatriates, comprise the majority of Saudi health-care providers. Therefore, the need to measure their satisfaction within the Saudi context is critical for improving patient outcomes and productivity within the health-care system. This study aims to measure nurse job satisfaction in several Ministry of Health (MOH) and Saudi Arabian organizations. Materials and Methods: A multi-center, cross-sectional study design was utilized to recruit nurses from public hospitals and primary health-care centers in five cities across Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from October 1 to November 15, 2016, through an electronic questionnaire. The study instrument was adapted from former MOH surveys. Descriptive and analytical analyses were utilized. Results: A total of 2418 nurses responded with a response rate of 69%. Overall satisfaction level was low to moderate. Only a small portion of the participants demonstrated overall satisfaction in all domains, and living conditions were significantly low. Predictors of satisfaction were studied based on location and job title. Conclusions: The study revealed a low-to-moderate level of job satisfaction with a need to improve nurses' living conditions. Comparisons among the study locations revealed areas in need of improvement. Further studies are needed to explore methods through which to enact these improvements.

Keywords

• job satisfaction
• nursing
• saudi arabia
• work environment