Human Resource (HR) Factors and Performance Of Nurses In Government Hospitals In Kenya

Abstract

This study identified the HR factors of remuneration, workload stress and work environment and tools which had remained largely undocumented and therefore unknown to policy makers, managers, healthcare providers and other stakeholders. This gap aroused the need to carry out empirical research to study and document the HR factors that influence performance of nurses in government hospitals and suggest strategies that can be used to monitor and improve their performance. A sample population of 780 nurses was drawn from all the six levels of government hospitals in Nairobi County using Taro Yamanes sample size selection formula. Presentation of data was done in two levels: descriptive analysis and inferential statistics. Pearson's Correlation was done to determine if there is a significant relationship between the dependent and the independent variables. The research findings show that poor remuneration, workload stress and lack of modern technology and equipment as well as poor working environment contribute to low performance of nurses and to the perception that patients' outcomes are significantly impacted by the poor performance. Based on the findings of this study it is recommended that nurses should be rewarded for their efforts and education. Further, adequate equipment should be provided and more nurses should be employed in order to help reduce nurses' workload and workload stress.