Factors Affecting Quality of Working Life among Dental Nurses under the Supervision of Regional Health Promotion Center 3

Abstract

The aims of this research were to study personal factors including job description as well as levels of organizational climate and quality of working life (QOWL), to investigate factors affecting quality of working life and provide recommendations for developing QOWL of dental nurses under the supervision of Regional Health Promotion Center 3. The study was conducted on all 357 dental nurses working under the supervision of Regional Health Promotion Center 3 of the Ministry of Public Health. A questionnaire with the reliability of 0.95 was used as the research tool and distributed to all the dental nurses. However, only 290 or 81.23% of the questionnaires have been returned. Statistical analyses of the data were carried out to determine mean, percentage, standard deviation and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The research findings were as follows: most of dental nurses in the 34 region were female with an average age of 34.15 years. Most of them were single and hold a bachelor's degree as their highest educational attainment. The average working experience was 12.44 years. Their job descriptions and perception of organizational climate were at a high level while the QOWL was at a moderate level. There was statistical significance at .05 for the factors affecting predictable QOWL of the dental nurses in the Region, which covered six factors, namely rewards and punishments, organizational identity and group loyalty, structure, autonomy, risks and risk taking, and performance standards, all of which were 56% effective in predicting the variance of working life. The study suggested that there should be technical positions for them after graduating with a Bachelor of Public Health degree (2-year continuing program), promotion and annual salary increase should be based chiefly on performance and oral health promotion activities should be carried out by dental personnel in collaboration with all other sections in a single health team.