Job satisfaction among critical care nurses in al baha , saudi arabia : a cross-sectional study

Background/Objective: The area of critical care is among the most stressful environments and affects the job satisfaction levels among critical care nurses. The aim of this study was to determine the job satisfaction levels and factors influencing job satisfaction among critical care nurses in Al Baha, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. It was conducted at four governmental hospitals in Al Baha from January to March 2015. Sixty nurses from critical care settings (such as intensive care units, emergency rooms, and operating rooms) were selected by convenience sampling. The data was collected using a questionnaire that consisted of two parts. The first part contained the demographic variables, including information about the nurses’ age, level of education, place of work, and job satisfaction level (1. Very dissatisfied or 5. Very satisfied). The second part used a five Likert-type scale with 21 items, wherein the nurses were asked to determine the extent to which they perceived the listed factors important to their job satisfaction. The data was analyzed by the computerized method Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), English Version 20. Results: The nurses who participated in the study displayed high levels of job satisfaction. All respondents considered the factors influencing their satisfaction levels as important (the mean was 4.4). The relation between nurses’ ages and job satisfaction levels was significant (p = 0.04), while that between the place of work and job satisfaction levels was insignificant (p = 0.008). Conclusion: The participating nurses demonstrated high levels of job satisfaction. Age was significantly related to job satisfaction; older nurses were found to be more satisfied with their jobs.