Job satisfaction among specialists of rehabilitation team

Aim of the study. Evaluate job satisfaction among specialists of rehabilitation teams in Kaunas city in-patient institutions. Objectives. Evaluate job satisfaction among specialists of rehabilitation teams and establish the factors associated with it; establish the possibilities of professional training among specialists of rehabilitation teams; and peculiarities as well as problems emerging at rehabilitation teams’ work. Methods. The research was carried out at all six in-patient rehabilitation institutions of Kaunas in 2007. Anonymous questionnaire survey was carried out with 144 specialists of rehabilitation teams. Sample means, 95% confidence intervals, Spearman rank correlation, Student (t) test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied for the statistical analysis of the data. Results. 85.7% of specialists of rehabilitation teams were satisfied with their job. The average score of job satisfaction was 4.2 (from 5). 19.3% of respondents would like to change their job place, and it was related with the young age of the respondents. Older respondents were more satisfied with the possibilities of career, recognition, institution’s policy and job in general if compared to the younger ones. Job satisfaction was associated with the possibilities to realize the skills and improve them, with team’s atmosphere and relationship with the direct chief and colleagues. Respondents indicated that the greatest significance to job satisfaction had possibility to help people (78.5%), relationship among colleagues (64.6%), and the process of work itself (59.7%). Rehabilitation teams members were mostly unsatisfied with the salary (the average score was 2.2), ensurement for future – 2.8, encouragement of highest chiefs – 2.9. 32.6% of respondents were unsatisfied with possibilities of professional training. Financial issues, and for older respondents poor foreign languages and computer skills were the factors, which negatively affected professional training. 77.7% of respondents were satisfied with their work in rehabilitation team. Administrator or medical doctor led the rehabilitation teams’ meetings; the main goal of the meetings was discussion about the patients. As the main problems of rehabilitation team respondents indicated poor recognition of the contribution to teams’ work (16.9%), hierarchical relationship (13.7%), and improperly solved conflicts (13.7%). Conclusions. 1) Specialists of rehabilitation teams in general were satisfied with their job. One fifth of respondents would like to change their job place and it was related with young age. Older respondents were more satisfied with their job than the younger ones. The greatest significance to job satisfaction had the possibility to help people, relationship among colleagues and direct chief, while to dissatisfaction – salary and inadequate encouragement of highest chiefs. 2) Specialists of rehabilitation teams expressed the need for the professional training. However, 32.6% of respondents couldn’t realise this need sufficiently because of the financial difficulties, lack of arranged meetings, and lack of information. 3) Specialists of rehabilitation teams were satisfied with the team work. Hierarchical relationship, poor recognition of the contribution to teams’ work, lack of team work organization, and improperly solved conflicts were the most commonly mentioned problems of rehabilitation team