The factors of job satisfaction among the nurses in emergency department: the Saudi Arabian context

Abstract EN

Background and Study Aim: Saudi Arabia has been experiencing a chronic shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly the nursing profession that has demonstrated a high degree of employee turnover.

Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore, analyse, and identify the factors that affect the level of job satisfaction among nurses who work in the ED (Emergency Department) in the public hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

Therefore, this study has selected Asir Central Hospital (ACH) as the research context.

Research Method: This study has employed quantitative research method and collected data through online survey from 267 registered nurses who work in the ED.

Findings: The current study has found that the overall score of the job satisfaction among the nurses of the ACH is 3.33, which is higher than 3 in the 5-point Likert scale.

Therefore, this study argues that the existing level of job satisfaction among the nurses who work in the ED in the ACH has a moderate level of job satisfaction.

This study has found that the availability of resources in terms of working conditions has the highest score, and thus this construct has the highest level of influence on job satisfaction.

The second ranked job satisfaction determinant is the work itself, which is followed by social relationships and communications, relationships with management, autonomy in terms of working conditions, scheduling in terms of working conditions, and the extrinsic rewards.

This study has also found that gender and education levels do not have any effect on the determinants of job satisfaction, while age has effect on the determinants of job satisfaction.

Originality/Value: The outcomes of this study can work as a guide for the managers in the health sector in Saudi Arabia.

As there is a chronic shortage of nurses in the KSA, this guidance can help the managers retain their skilled nurses.

Conclusion: The job satisfaction of the nurses cannot be detected from managers' perspective, and therefore it is necessary to assess and monitor the job satisfaction internally on a regular basis.

As the extrinsic rewards have less influence on nurses' overall job satisfaction, the management needs to focus more on working conditions and the availability of resources to perform the tasks.