Using Rasch Wright map to identify hospital employee satisfaction during and before COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Occupational Health Psychology
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare systems globally, placing immense pressure on medical personnel.
• Hospitals implemented mental health initiatives for staff, but the effect on overall job satisfaction required investigation.
• Previous research suggests increased stress and burnout among healthcare workers during health crises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the hypothesis that employee satisfaction declined during the COVID-19 pandemic among hospital staff.
• To compare job satisfaction perceptions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using a 6-year dataset.
• To identify specific domains and demographic groups most affected by changes in job satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Rasch Wright map visualizations for analyzing job satisfaction survey data from 2017 to 2022 (n=1222).
• Compared employee perceptions in two stages: pre-pandemic (2017-2019) and during the pandemic (2020-2022).
• Analyzed satisfaction across four domains: compensation and benefits, work atmosphere, organizational leadership, and emergency response capabilities.

Main Results:

• Employee satisfaction significantly decreased during the pandemic in the domains of compensation and benefits, and work atmosphere.
• Question 5 (hospital meals) received the lowest satisfaction score, while Question 23 (emergency response) scored highest.
• Organizational leadership domain showed the highest overall satisfaction; 21 demographic groups reported significantly lower satisfaction during the pandemic.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms a negative impact on hospital employee satisfaction during COVID-19, specifically concerning compensation, benefits, and work atmosphere.
• Rasch Wright map analysis provides valuable comparative insights into hospital staff satisfaction trends.
• Findings offer a methodological guide for future research on healthcare employee satisfaction and well-being.