Determinants of job satisfaction among nurses in Kuwait

Job satisfaction among nurses working in five general hospitals in Kuwait was analysed using a global scale based on the McClosky Mueller Satisfaction Scale (MMSS) in relation to selected background characteristics (eg age, gender, nationality, educational qualification, monthly salary and the departments in which they worked.

The questionnaire was distributed to 500 nurses using a stratified random sample. The response rate was 87.2%.

Age, nationality and the department worked in had a positive significant relationship with job satisfaction. However, a higher level of educational qualification and previous work experience in other countries showed an inverse relationship with job satisfaction.

Based on our findings, we recommend that expatriate staff should be provided with an understanding of cultural differences and how to cope with them. Special attention should be paid to the norms regarding interaction among males and females and social interaction among professionals from the opposite gender. Intensive courses in the languages to be used in the care provision process should be provided to impart requisite language competency.