Why do Saudi Nurses Leave Bedside Nursing: Findings from a Pilot Study

Authors

  • Khaldoun Aldiabat
  • Ali Abdullah Alarifi
  • Naif Ahmed Al-Gohal
  • Maher Mohamed Alharbi
  • Abdullah Shaykh Alshehri
  • Ali Abdullah Alshomrani
  • Shaker Mousa Darraj
  • Ali Saleh Sayed

Abstract

Aim: To explore the salient factors that account for Saudi nurses leaving bedside nursing to work in other fields of nursing.

 

Method: A non-experimental descriptive quantitative design was used to answer the research question of this pilot study. A valid and reliable questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. A snowball / purposive sample was used to collect the data from 46 Saudi nurses who had left bedside nursing in three hospitals in the Aseer region in southwest of Saudi Arabia. Data were analyzed by a professional statistician using descriptive statistics.

 

Findings: The salient factors for Saudi nurses’ decision to leave bedside nursing that were identified included: income (including allowances and financial incentives), administrative regulations, job satisfaction, and other miscellaneous factors

 

Conclusion: Although this pilot study has several limitations, the findings indicate that health care planners and policy staff, and nursing leaders in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia need to develop strategies to address the issues expressed by Saudi nurses in regard to bedside nursing, particularly the need to improve (a) financial allowances and incentive systems, (b) the bedside work environment (e.g., by decreasing weekly working hours), and (c) the image of bedside Saudi nurses in the eyes of Saudi society.

 

Keywords: Saudi Nurses, Pilot Study, Bedside Nursing

 

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