Medical laboratory sciences graduates: are they satisfied at work?

OBJECTIVE

In this study, the overall job satisfaction of medical laboratory scientist graduates of one Kuwaiti University was examined in relation to the environment and organizational features of their places of employment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A questionnaire was distributed to 105 graduates of the Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) Department, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University from the years 1982 to 2001 who are currently working in Ministry of Health hospitals. Of those, 85 questionnaires were returned and this was a response rate of 80 percent.

RESULTS

Fifty-six percent of respondents were satisfied overall with their jobs, but 44% were not satisfied. Overall job satisfaction was found to be associated with having the opportunity of applying their academic knowledge and laboratory skills to their work when job conditions were conducive to the work and there was collegiality in the laboratory. Reporting to only one supervisor also showed a positive relationship with overall job satisfaction. In contrast, perceptions of unhealthy working conditions, where employees tended to be a hindrance to another employee, were associated with lower overall job satisfaction. Forty-nine percent of all respondents reported that they were not satisfied with organizational practice, 44% were not satisfied with the work environment, and 39% were not satisfied with their autonomy and freedom to work.

CONCLUSION

A high percentage of laboratory technologists were not satisfied overall with their jobs or with specific aspects of their jobs. Particularly important in this respect were whether technologists felt that their work appropriately used their knowledge, feelings of technical competency, work related rules/procedures, and presence of unhealthy competition. These issues of health worker dissatisfaction need to be addressed by the health authority managers responsible for these services and by academics who train MLS workers.