Determinants of job satisfaction of nurses and midwives within health facilities in the Bole District of the Savannah Region of Northern Ghana

Abstract

Job satisfaction is one of the most important determinants of quality healthcare delivery. However, low job satisfaction is a common phenomenon among nurses and midwives and affects the quality of service rendered to clients in Ghana. This study sought to identify the factors that influence job satisfaction in health facilities in the Bole district. A descriptive cross-sectional study with multistage sampling techniques was employed to select 122 nurses and 34 midwives participants for the study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the factors that influenced participants’ job satisfaction. The majority (83%) of the respondents found achievement of set goal as a major intrinsic factor influencing their job satisfaction and more than half (60%) of the participants reported that job duties/responsibilities have the highest influence on their job satisfaction. Again, 54% identified recognition as an intrinsic factor that influenced their job satisfaction. Furthermore, the majority (57.4%) of the participants found interpersonal relationships, and (43%) found study leave policy as extrinsic factors that determined their job satisfaction. In conclusion, determinants of job satisfaction identified were achievement of set goals, job duties, recognition, interpersonal relationship, staffing and study leave policy. To boost nurses’ and midwives’ job satisfaction, emphasis should be placed on intrinsic factors and complement it with rewards and fringe benefits.