A study of job satisfaction and work environment perception among doctors in a tertiary hospital in Delhi.

ABSTRACT

Background: Many doctors are dissatisfied with their jobs, which is due to long working hours and overwork. This can affect patient care and reduce quality of care. Objectives: To study job satisfaction among doctors in a tertiary hospital in Delhi and the various factors related with it. Materials and Methods: Data collection was done among 250 doctors on tenure-based job, selected by stratified random sampling, in a teaching hospital in Delhi, by using a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical Analysis: Proportions and Chi-square tests. Results: The mean number of work-hours among doctors was 9.7 +/- 2.7 hours per day, and the mean number of night shifts was 5.6 per month. About half (49.6%) of the doctors were dissatisfied with the average number of work-hours per day. Dissatisfaction was significantly more in those who had an average of> 8 work-hours per day and who had >/=8 night shifts per month. About half (45.6%) of the doctors considered their salary as 'bad,' and this was significantly more among unmarried doctors, interns and those who had >/=8 night shifts per month. More than half (55.2%) of the doctors were dissatisfied with their choice of profession, i.e., being a doctor, as compared to other professions. Conclusions: A significant proportion of doctors were found to be dissatisfied with the average number of their work-hours and salary. Factors like the average number of work-hours per day and the number of night shifts per month were found to have a significant relation with dissatisfaction. Further studies are needed to explore how best the work-hours of doctors could be adjusted to improve their job satisfaction.