Work Facets Predicting Overall Job Satisfaction among Resident Doctors in Selected Teaching Hospitals in Southern Nigeria: A Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire Survey

Job satisfaction could be assessed using the single-item global approach or the multidimensional approach. This study aims to assess the work facets predicting the overall single-item job satisfaction measure among resident doctors.

This descriptive study was conducted from August to October 2018 among 195 resident doctors. The survey instrument, i.e. the Minnesota satisfaction questionnaire (MSQ), was used to assess satisfaction among resident doctors with 20 job facets. In addition, the single-item satisfaction measure was adopted to assess overall job satisfaction among the respondents. Both satisfaction measures were assessed on a 5-point Likert scale. The MSQ sum scores for the 20 items ranged from 20 to 100. The correlation between each satisfaction facet and the single-item overall job satisfaction was determined using the Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Besides, a linear regression model of the overall job satisfaction, including facets significantly correlated, was developed to control age and work experience. P-value ≤ 0.05 was regarded statistically significant.

The respondents expressed above-average satisfaction with only two work facets, namely compensation (56.7%) and creativity (52.5%). Satisfaction had the lowest rate for the facets of recognition (4.8%), supervision-human relations (5.3%), and responsibility (7.5%). Accordingly, only the facets of ability utilisation (p = 0.005), advancement (p < 0.001), supervision-human relations (p = 0.035), variety (p = 0.012), and working conditions (p = 0.001) significantly predicted overall job satisfaction.

Overall job satisfaction was mostly predicted by factors intrinsic to the job, so these could be specifically targeted for interventions.