Abstract:
Background: Health services are affected by many factors such as human resources, health
delivery system and health infra structures. Among these, human resource is a vital component in
delivering health services. Health systems cannot function effectively without sufficient numbers
of skilled, motivated and supported health workers.
Job satisfaction of the health workers is highly important in building up employee motivation;
increased productivity and efficiency as higher job satisfaction determine better employee
performance and higher level of patients‟ satisfaction.
Objective: To assess health workers job satisfaction and factors affecting their satisfaction level
in the case of public hospitals in West Shoa Zone, Oromia regional sate, Ethiopia.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 166 health workers. The sample size was
calculated using single population proportion formula. Data were collected using selfadministered questionnaire and in-depth interview and analyzed using SPSS version 20 soft
ware. Frequencies, chi-square test and odds ratio were used to explain the results. Ethical
clearance and approval to conduct the research was obtained from Jimma University College of
Public Health and Medical Sciences, Ethical Clearance committee.
Result:-A total of 166 health workers participated with response rate of 100.0%. The result
showed that one hundred thirteen (68.0%) of the health workers were dissatisfied with their job.
The major reasons reported for their dissatisfaction were lack of motivation using incentives like
top up, lack of training opportunity, and lack of house for staff in the hospital, bureaucratic
constraint in relation to further education, lack of leaving governmental institution and lack of
promotion. Only fifty three (32.0%) of health workers were satisfied with their job, the major
reason given were getting satisfaction from helping others, salary, opportunity to develop and
being health professionals .
Conclusion and Recommendations: - In this study majority of the study participants were
dissatisfied with their job . Majority of the health workers job dissatisfaction were attributed to
hospital management system. Managers and health policy makers should give due consideration
on health workers job satisfaction if they really want to achieve their goals and objectives.
