Introduction
Job satisfaction is the extent to which an employee prefers his job and views it positively (Wang, 2009). Satisfaction leads to high output and good care. Nurses in Saudi Arabia are dissatisfied due to stress associated with their everyday work. Stress occurs when a person feels unsecured especially when unfolding events seem to affect his psychology. The condition in which the nurses work in the emergency department leads to stress. The loud noise made by an ambulance causes panic amongst the nurses leading to the development of stress. Other factors that because stress include the risk of infections, long code procedures, and trauma caused after witnessing the death of patients. Stress affects the nurse’s health as it causes health disorders that affect blood vessels like high blood pressure (Steffy, 2006). When a nurse is greatly affected, his output reduces. This is followed by avoiding duty and finally dissatisfaction with his job.
Aims
- To identify and explain various causes of stress that are related to the nursing job in Saudi Arabia.
- To investigate the extent to which stress affects the satisfaction of nurses.
Significance of the research
Saudi Arabia is facing a big shortage of nurses and poor nursing care (Jourdain, 2010). When job-related factors that cause nurse shortages and poor nursing care are identified, job satisfaction will be increased. Little research has been done in Saudi Arabia to determine the cause of such problems (Kawano, 2008). This research proposal, therefore, seeks to bridge this research gap.
Research question
What is the major cause of job dissatisfaction among nurses in Saudi Arabia?
Literature review
Stress associated with the nursing job is the major factor that has reduced the number of people working as nurses in Saudi Arabia (Adeb-Saeedi, 2007). This is a major problem because most patients die in hospitals because of poor care given by the nurses. Most nurses start the job and after some time they surrender the job because they are dissatisfied (McGowan, 2010). Research by Bond in 2008 conducted in government hospitals in Saudi Arabia for 148 nurses showed dissatisfaction with their job because of job stress (Bond, 2008). Bond (2008) found a negative significant relationship between stress and satisfaction with a Pearson correlation = -.437, P<0.05.
Methodology and research techniques
Choose at random, 150 ordinary nurses from 3 different hospitals and study their work for 180 days using questionnaires. Two questionnaires will be distributed to each nurse. Response by nurses will be treated with high levels of confidentiality. The first questionnaire will measure stress associated with the nursing job while the second will measure the work satisfaction of the nurse. The descriptive quantitative design technique is used because it allows a study of more than one aspect (McGowan, 2010). Also, it does not involve altering the situation under study. It suits this study because it covers samples using questionnaires to make observations which are the major interest of the study (McGowan, 2010).
Facilities and equipment required
The major facility for studying this research is the emergency department of the government hospitals and willing nurses (Lopopopo, 2008). This research will require the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale to measure the job-related causes. It comprises 57 items divided into 9 units which will be filled during the survey analysis. Another tool for this research is the Job Satisfaction Scale.
References
Adeb-Saeedi, J. (2007). Stress amongst emergency nurses. Melbourne: University of Australia press.
Bond, S. (2008). Hospitals nurse’s job satisfaction, individual and organizational Characteristics. 32(3):536-543.
Jourdain, G. (2010). Job demands-resourses, burnout and intention to leave the nursing profession. 47:709-722.
Kawano, Y. (2008). Association of job- related stress factors with psychological and Somatic Symptoms among Saudi Arabia hospital nurses. 50(3): 79-85.
Lopopopo, D. (2008). The relationship of role- related variables to job satisfaction and Commitment to the organization in a restructured hospital environment. USA: Arcadia university press.
McGowan, B. (2010). Self- reported stress and its effects on nurses. New York: Harvard university press, 15(42): 33-38.
Steffy B. (2006).Work place stress and indicators of coronary-disease risk. King Saud university press.
Wang, H. (2009). Perceived occupational stress and related factors in public health nurses. New York: McGraw-Hills Publishers, 10(4):253-260.