Effect of Recruitment and deployment practices on Performance of Healthcare Workers in Kenya.

Abstract

This study sought to determine the Effect of Recruitment and deployment practices on the Performance of Healthcare Workers, a case of Nursing officers, Ministry of Health, Nyeri County in Kenya. Various organisations employ different human resources initiatives to increase efficiency. The most common initiatives employed to improve efficiency include performance contracts, internal contracting, contracting-out and outsourcing of services, among others. Employing such initiatives are considered among the primary Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, which are aimed at determining the equilibrium between workforce supply and the ability of healthcare practitioners to practise effectively and efficiently to ensure improved and quality care in healthcare systems. This study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive research design. The respondents constituted all nursing staff and managers in Nyeri County health facilities and at the County Director’s Office. Stratified random sampling was used to come up with a sample of 248 respondents. Data was collected using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of data with the help of SPSS 23. Chi-square analysis was used to establish relationships. The researcher found that recruitment processes in Nyeri County comprised internships (f=109, 44%) and field placements (f=82, 33%). Selections were made via individual interviews (f=225, 91%), while job orientation (f=237, 96%) was the main technique. The researchers found that there were gaps in the deployment practices with a mean value of 2.73, SD=1.132. Deployment in some departments was deemed disciplinary action (M=3.09, SD=1.325), and managers response to deployment needs per department or ward or facility (M=3.07, SD=1.218) were rated to a moderate extent. The study concluded that recruitment does not affect the performance of health workers. Although the county was found to use only a few recruitments, selection and orientation approaches and techniques, this did not affect the Healthcare Workers. The study further concluded that deployment practices do not affect the performance of Healthcare Workers.