Factors Influencing Nurse’s Work Motivation at Salima District Hospital
Karen Bisalomu and Chimwemwe Madziatera
ABSTRACT
Background: Nurses are key in ensuring positive patient outcomes, nursing being a demanding profession, affects work motivation which influences performance and efficiency of healthcare services. Globally, intrinsic factors and extrinsic factors have been identified as key drivers of nurse motivation [1]. While existing studies in Malawi have focused on extrinsic motivation factors, little research has explored intrinsic motivation.
Aim: The study sought to explore personal motivations influencing nursing career choice, nurses’ experience of reality shock during transition, perceived connection between motivation and care quality and perspectives on workplace factors affecting nurses’ motivation.
Methods: The study took a qualitative approach, recruited 20 participants via purposive and simple random sampling using the drawing method. Semistructured questionnaires were used in one-on-one interviews that were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data saturation was reached by the 12th interview and data was analysed manually through thematic content analysis.
Results: Motivators for choosing nursing career were altruism and early positive experiences with nurses. Reality shock during transition from nursing school to practice was due to misalignment of expectations and gap between theory and practice. High motivation was linked to quality care and poor motivation to poor care and risk of errors. Workplace factors like democratic leadership, recognition and access to opportunities were main motivators while autocratic leadership, lack of adequate financial incentives, poor recognition and opportunity bias were demotivators. Evolving career aspirations beyond the bedside emerged as a key theme and was attributed to dissatisfaction and lack of growth opportunities at the bedside.
Conclusion: Altruism was a common driver for nurses but systemic challenges caused motivation to change negatively overtime. Efforts to enhance motivation and improve working conditions in resource-limited settings will improve patient outcomes.
