Job Satisfaction and Commitment among Registered Nurses Employed in Selected Private Hospitals in Malaysia

Abstract

Background: Job satisfaction and professional commitment are job-related attitudes that have garnered widespread attention from researchers worldwide. Such interest stems from the finding that committed and satisfied employees are typically high performers who contribute substantially to organizational productivity. This study assessed the relationship between job satisfaction and professional commitment among registered nurses in selected private hospitals in Perak, Malaysia. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive design and a convenient sampling method were used for data collection. The questionnaire employed in the study comprised three components. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire consisting of multiple-choice questions and the Likert Scale was distributed to 150 eligible registered nurses working in several private hospitals in Perak. Descriptive statistics were then used to analyze the data collected. An independent t-test or one-way ANOVA was used to investigate the relationship between demographic factors, job satisfaction, and commitment. Results: The findings show registered nurses had moderate job satisfaction. The implementation of the corporate policy had the highest satisfaction recorded (4/5). The other 19 items recorded a score of 3.01-3.83 on a 5-point Likert scale, signifying that job satisfaction was moderate among nurses. Contrarily, job commitment had a higher rating, with 4/6 items rated >4/5. There was no statistically significant correlation between demographic factors and job satisfaction. Nevertheless, the Pearson correlation indicated a weak yet significant connection between job commitment and job satisfaction (r=0.361) among nurses, reaching significance at the 0.001 level. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest registered nurses exhibited moderate job satisfaction and commitment towards their work and the organization. Increasing career advancement and promotion and using innovative approaches in nursing care are the main factors in improving nurses' job satisfaction. Organizations must provide more career opportunities and involve nurses in evidence-based nursing practice to improve job satisfaction