Nurses’ Motivation and Satisfaction at Work: an exploratory study at the Centro Hospitalar S. João

Fátima Gomes () and Teresa Proença ()
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Fátima Gomes: Hospital de S. João
Teresa Proença: CEF.UP, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Porto

FEP Working Papers from Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto

Abstract: This study aims to assess nurses’ motivation and satisfaction and measure the impact of socio-demographical and socio-professional variables, namely professional contract. A questionnaire was delivered to a sample consisting of 560 nursing professionals of the second major Hospital in Portugal, Hospital São João (HSJ): 277 nurses on public contract, 173 on open ended contract and 110 on fixed term contract. Results show that the relationship with the patients is the most important factor for nurses’ satisfaction, followed by satisfaction with the job content. Remuneration is the factor in which nurses show the least satisfaction. Nurses with a fixed contract, the most insecure of all, are the ones with greater motivation and satisfaction, contrary to what is expected according to content motivational theories. However, they also have greater expectation that their performance can improve their contract, what may explain the previous results. This paper also suggests that work and the type of contract has an impact on personal life and vice-versa, namely on the intent of leaving the job, on the marital status and the number of children.

Keywords: motivation; satisfaction; nursing; professional contract (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 35 pages
Date: 2015-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hap, nep-hea, nep-hrm, nep-lma and nep-mkt
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:por:fepwps:558

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