A study on the factors influencing post basic nursing graduates from the university of zambia to resign from the government service.
Date
2013-06-03
Authors
Bwalya, Bupe L.
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Abstract
The aim of this descriptive study was to find out factors influencing post-basic nursing graduates to resign from the government service.
The literature reviewed in this study did indicate that nurses in general were resigning from the government health institutions for various reasons. The literature reviewed showed that resignation has an effect on the national health system in terms of manpower and financial resources as well as on the type of health care given to the client. The literature reviewed also revealed that health authorities were getting concerned. Therefore, the authorities were now resorting to various ways of retaining nurses or attracting back those who had resigned.
Data were collected from post-basic nursing graduates of the University of Zambia who had resigned from the government service using a self devised questionnaire. The convenience sample comprised of seventeen (17) subjects of which sixteen (16) were females and one (1) a male.
The findings of the study revealed that poor salaries and conditions of service, insensitivity of those in positions of authority within the Ministry of Health to the needs of post-basic nursing graduates and failure to promote these graduate soon after completing their training played a major role in making the decision to resign. In addition it was also identified that government health institutions offer opportunities for post-basic nursing graduates to practice what they were trained to do.
There was however, an indication that there is need for the employer, the government through the Ministry of Health, to critically examine conditions of service, salaries, career structure and so on that it offers to the post-basic nursing graduates if these graduates have to be retained within the government health system.
in conclusion it is hoped that the findings will provide senior nurse managers, other higher health authorities within the Ministry of Health and the Zambian government with an insight into the reasons why this category of health workers were resigning from the government service. On the other hand post-basic nursing graduates themselves should face the challenge and help resolve those problems which are affecting them instead of resigning.
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Keywords
civil service --zambia. , nursing degree graduates --zambia. , health services administrators --zambia.