| Summary: | Student Number : 9802242A -
MSc research report -
School of Therapeutic Sciences -
Faculty of Health Sciences === Introduction: The nursing profession in South Africa has lost skilled nurses due to intense
international recruitment drives. This hospital in the West Rand has also failed to recruit and retain
skilled nurses. The shortage of skilled nurses has led to a deterioration in the quality of patient care.
The aims of this study: The aim of this study was to investigate nurses’ perceptions about their
working environment and conditions, and their intention to stay in the workplace in this regional
hospital.
The methodology: A quantitative, descriptive survey was used. The data were collected using the
Minnesota satisfaction questionnaire. The sample included professional and sub professional (staff
and auxiliary) nurses. A stratified (random) sampling method was used. Respondents were one
hundred and seventeen (117), namely, sixty two (62) professionals and fifty five (55) sub
professionals.
Results: Generally all the nurses were moderately satisfied with the intrinsic aspects of their job,
such as motivation, responsibility, opportunity for creativity and innovation, independence, and
recognition. Alarmingly nurses were to a greater extent dissatisfied with the extrinsic aspects of
their job, namely, relationships in the workplace, supervisors’ decision-making skills, supervision,
working conditions, policies, job security, and compensation.
Conclusions: This study indicated that the important extrinsic aspects were not in place. The
employer (Department of Health) needs to make major efforts in improving nurses’ salaries,
promotion and advancement opportunities, and to empower all unit and area managers in the areas
of supervisory skills, decision-making, communication, and mentoring of nurses.
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