Job Satisfaction of Nurses and Associated Factors in Public Hospitals in Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia

Background: Job satisfaction is an important component of nurses' lives that can impact on patient safety, productivity and performance, quality of care, retention and turnover, commitment to the organization and the profession. One of the primary reasons nurses leave the profession is dissatisfaction with their practice environment. The aim of this study was to assess job satisfaction of nurses and associated factors in public hospitals, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Methods: Institutional based cross sectional study was carried out from February to March 2011 using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. A total of 255 nurses were selected using simple random sampling method and key informants for the in-depth interview were selected conveniently from the two-third of the total hospitals in the region. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with job satisfaction of nurses. Result: Fifty Eight percent of the participants were satisfied about their relationship with physicians. Greater than half of the nurses were dissatisfied with administrative support in nurse-physician relationships. Age, work experience, staff shortage subscales was found to be positive predicators of the nurses satisfaction with their relation with physicians. Conclusion: Almost half of the participants were dissatisfied with current job. The study reveals that there is poor work relationship between nurses and physicians. Hospital leaders should focus in improving nurse-physician work relationships; team conferences and interdisciplinary round.