Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (1)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kaarna, M.
Right arrow Articles by Thetloff, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kaarna, M.
Right arrow Articles by Thetloff, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

International Journal for Quality in Health Care 16:253-261 (2004)
International Journal for Quality in Health Care vol. 16 no. 3 © International Society for Quality in Health Care and Oxford University Press 2004; all rights reserved

The progress of reforms: job satisfaction in a typical hospital in Estonia

Marina Kaarna, Kaja Põlluste1, Rein Lepnurm2 and Maie Thetloff3

North-Estonia Regional Hospital, Tallinn, 1 Department of Public Health, University of Tartu, 3 Estonian Health Insurance Fund, Tallinn, Estonia, 2 Department of Management and Marketing, University of Saskatchewan, Canada

Objective. To evaluate the level of job satisfaction among the staff at an Estonian hospital and to describe factors related to their job satisfaction.

Design. Questionnaire survey.

Setting. Pärnu County Hospital in Estonia.

Study participants. All staff members of the Pärnu County Hospital (n = 673), except 56 staff members who were away from work during the study.

Results. Respondents (n = 473) indicated an average job satisfaction level of 3.86 ± 0.81 on a 5-point scale. The efficiency of hospital management as measured by planning, relationships with supervisors, knowledge and communication regarding hospital goals, plans, quality of services, budgetary situation, and staffing problems was positively correlated with job satisfaction. Stress and unrealistic expectations were negatively correlated with job satisfaction. The feeling of being part of the organization was also correlated with job satisfaction. Recognition from supervisors and discussions with colleagues were found to be weakly correlated with job satisfaction. There were differences between occupational categories.

Conclusion. The management of Pärnu County Hospital has been able to create good supervisory relationships with staff by providing sufficient information about the goals of the hospital, the quality of services, the budgetary situation, and staffing problems that arise. Stress levels reported are not excessive and staff are loyal to their hospital.

Keywords: hospital staff, job satisfaction, motivating factors

Address reprint requests to: Marina Kaarna, North-Estonia Regional Hospital, 19 J. Sütiste tee, 13419 Tallinn, Estonia. E-mail: marina.kaarna{at}regionaalhaigla.ee

Accepted for publication February 2, 2004.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.