Qatar Foundation’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press), published an article co-authored by Qatari researcher and nurse Aisha Al-Qahtani, among the authors of a study that looks at key reasons why nurses retain or lose their commitment to their jobs, a topic that has assumed even greater relevance as healthcare workers around the world find themselves in the frontline of tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aisha Al-Qahtani said, ‘‘nurses need to be given the right psychological support and a clear career ladder to avoid them turning their backs on the profession through stress or frustration’’

The Impact of Job Satisfaction on Nurses Work Lives: A Literature Review, finds that the work environment, emotional factors, opportunities for career progression, and accountability all shape how happy nurses are in their jobs and that healthcare leaders and policymakers must recognize this, and act on it.

“As a nurse, I know that not all nurses are satisfied in their jobs, and many have decided to change their profession,” explained Al-Qahtani, who co-authored the report with Bridget Stirling and Daniel Forgrave.

“When I asked nurses they often have quite different reasons for their dissatisfaction, which is why I decided to study the topic in greater depth. Nursing is one of the cornerstones of healthcare; we need to support those who are already in the field and encourage others to enter it.”

The researchers studied 18 articles assessing nurses’ job satisfaction around the world from Qatar, New Zealand, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, the US, China, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, and South Korea to identify trends and conclusions.

The studies contained the views of 13,458 nurses, including almost 3,696 from the Middle East. 

Their findings developed before COVID-19 broke out showed that nurses who have opportunities to continue their education during their careers are generally more likely to stay in their jobs, although such opportunities often lead to nurses moving into leadership positions or other areas and away from frontline nursing instead. It added that nurses also need to be equipped to handle the “hostility” they can experience from frustrated or fearful patients and their families.

Meanwhile, the report also emphasized the importance of professional development programs that “empower the self-development of nursing staff”, “In any healthcare organization, there should be a career ladder platform – if nurses see a pathway for bettering themselves and their workplace situation, they will be more satisfied and less likely to leave the organization and the profession”.

Al-Qahtani said, “What surprised me is that most of the reasons are connected to each other. The challenges for a female nurse often relate to the difficulty in finding the balance between our work lives and our home lives, and we simply must do our best to manage.’’

“It is so important to support nurses in both their personal and work lives.”

To read the article on QScience.com, click here.

Meanwhile, health authorities in the country continue to implement the highest level of monitoring, detection, and management procedures to deal with the virus, the public has been advised to follow certain measures to safeguard their health.

For any queries, or concerns related to COVID-19 in Qatar, the public can contact a 24/7 hotline set up by the Ministry. The hotline number is 16000 and is toll-free.

Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself.

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Source and cover image credit: Qatar Foundation