Ergonomics as Perceived by Staff Nurses and Its Relation to Their Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Context: Ergonomics is a systems-oriented discipline that extends across all aspects of the work environment and human activity to enhance safety, efficiency, quality of work-life, operators’ comfort and productivity that increase job satisfaction of the health care team members as well as staff nurses.

Aim: This research aimed to assess ergonomics as perceived by staff nurses and its relation to their job satisfaction.

Methods: A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional design utilized for carrying out this study. The current study was conducted in surgical building at Benha University Hospitals, Qaliobia Governorate, Egypt. Study subjects were all available (200) staff nurses. Two tools used to collect data, namely, ergonomics assessment questionnaire and job satisfaction assessment questionnaire. 

Results: The results of the study revealed that ergonomics was inadequate as perceived by more than two-thirds (71%) of the studied staff nurses. Also, more than two thirds (72.5%) of them had a low level of job satisfaction. Moreover, there was a highly statistically significant positive correlation at (P-value<0.001) between total ergonomics and total job satisfaction.

Conclusions: The study concluded that there was a highly statistically significant positive correlation between total ergonomics and total job satisfaction. The study recommended that hospital administration should deploy more efforts in improving the workplace ergonomics; this includes the work setting, and equipment. Nursing administrators should develop strategies for improving the ways of work to perform tasks that distributed throughout the shift to enhance staff nurses' job satisfaction. Also, Future studies should be conducted to investigate the relationship between ergonomics and other variables, like job performance, turnover, and productivity.