JOB SATISFACTION AMONG NURSES IN NYAMIRA COUNTY, KENYA

Nyang'echi E. N.*, Osero J.O. and Yitambe A.

ABSTRACT

Background: Job satisfaction is an individual’s reaction to the job experience. Increment in the number of strikes in the health sector by Human Resources for Health (HRH) especially nurses in most of the counties in Kenya including Nyamira County has recently risen at an alarming rate. Effort should therefore be directed at improving job satisfaction. Objective: To determine job satisfaction among nurses in health facilities in Nyamira County. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: Nyamira County, Kenya. Subjects: Full time engaged nurses who had worked in Nyamira County for at least six months. Results: Data was analysed for the 210 nurses who participated in the study whereby, 54.3% of the nurses were not satisfied, 7% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied while only 38.7% were satisfied with their job. Job satisfaction among nurses was not significantly related with gender (χ²=0.967; df=2; p=0.624), marital status (χ²=3.556; df= 2; p=0.172) and education level (p=0.475). The factors suggested by the nurses to improve their job satisfaction included, increment of their salaries and allowances (90.5%), provision of enough supplies and working equipment (76.2%), prompt promotions and re-designations (74.6%) and provision of conducive working environment (61.9%). Conclusion: Poor pay, lack of involvement in decision making, lack of promotion opportunities, work overload and poor general working conditions are the leading factors that cause low job satisfaction among nurses in health facilities. Policy makers in health should endeavour to improve the aforementioned factors to improve job satisfaction among the nurses.

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