The association between nationality, job satisfaction and ‘intention to leave’ among nurses in Saudi Arabian government hospitals

Abstract

Background: Job satisfaction is a vital concept in nurse retention. Two reasons are thought to contribute to the severe scarcity of nurses in Saudi Arabia: (a) the nursing profession is considered a low status profession with associated negative public perceptions; and (b) cultural barriers that restrict female access to education and employment, particularly in jobs that require contact between genders. The substantial shortage of Saudi nurses in the Saudi Arabian health system has led to a heavy reliance on foreign nurses. This historical dependence on massive numbers of non-Saudi nurses from countries around the globe, and a fragmented approach to their recruitment, has led to inequalities in the remuneration and treatment of nurses. The multicultural nature of the workforce and its potential impact on job satisfaction renders an investigation into the role of nationality a research priority.

Aim: To examine whether nationality has an effect on job satisfaction and ‘intention to leave’ among nurses in Saudi Arabian government hospitals.

Methods/Design: A design of mixed quantitative and qualitative methods was utilised in this study. The quantitative element utilised a survey approach; this approach consisted of McCloskey and Mueller’s Satisfaction Scale, which was used to measure nurses’ job satisfaction across eight types of satisfaction. Additional questions addressed their intention to leave and demographic variables. The qualitative approach utilised semi-structured interviews to further explain any identified associations. The study was conducted in three major government hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The study sample consisted of 747 participants who completed the questionnaire, of whom 26 also participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were collected over a nine-month period between May 2014 and February 2015.

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ORCID for Jane Prichard: orcid.org/0000-0001-7455-2244

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