Job satisfaction among health professionals in a federal tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Job satisfaction of health workers is essential in building up employee motivation and efficiency. The objective of this study is to ascertain the level of job satisfaction among health professionals in a federal tertiary health institution in Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: This study was done at the National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu (NOHE), in south-east Nigeria. Two hundred and thirty-six health workers were recruited from the various clinical departments via a systematic sampling technique. A questionnaire documenting relevant sociodemographic data and assessing the level of satisfaction with the financial remunerations, working conditions, infrastructure and equipment, learning and academic sponsorships, welfare packages, and performance appraisal systems was administered to them. RESULTS: The findings revealed a relatively low level of job satisfaction among the staff of NOHE especially with regards to financial remuneration, working conditions, tools and infrastructure, learning and training opportunities/sponsorship, leadership style, and welfare packages with increasing dissatisfaction in that order. However, the average staff is satisfied with the performance appraisal system as regards promotion. CONCLUSION: The majority of the clinical staff have a low level of job satisfaction. A review of the salary structure of health professionals as well as improving the working conditions, tools, and infrastructures in the hospital is needed.

Ponseti clubfoot management method: Initial experience with 273 clubfeet treated in a clubfoot clinic of a Nigerian regional orthopedic hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the initial experience and outcome of clubfoot treated using the Ponseti technique in a regional orthopedic hospital setting of a developing country. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of all the clubfoot patients who were treated at the clubfoot clinic of National Orthopaedic Hospital Enugu from 1st of August 2013 to 31st January 2015. RESULT: There were 175 patients with 273 clubfeet. The male to female ratio was 1.2:1, and the age range was 1 week to 27 years with a median age of 11 months. One hundred and fifty-one patients (86.5%) had congenital clubfoot, whereas 24 (13.5%) had acquired clubfoot. The mean Pirani score of the patients at presentation was 4. The mean number of cast sessions needed for correction was 6.3. The majority of the feet (96.6%) were treated and correction achieved with Ponseti method alone, whereas 3.4% had other additional surgical procedures. Seventy-two (41.1%) patients afforded and used foot abduction brace as prescribed. Plaster sores in 12.5% of patients were the most common complication. At a mean follow-up period of 6 months, a relapse rate of 3.4% was observed. CONCLUSION: Ponseti clubfoot management technique alone is very effective in most cases of clubfoot in our setting. Late presentation of patients and foot abduction brace related challenges observed call for a policy response aimed at educating the public on the importance of early presentation and improving the use of foot abduction brace.