STAFF NURSES’ PERCEPTIONS OF WORK ENGAGEMENT IN SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

Abstract Nursing historically has emphasized the essential provision of high-quality care to patients. However, as the nursing shortage remains a critical issue in healthcare systems worldwide, the insufficient number of nurses brings complex challenges that may contribute to burnout and disengagement for nurses in the workplace. The literature indicates that improving nurse work engagement and nurses’ psychological well-being in the workplace is essential. While the literature has a global focus, most of the data on work engagement in nursing have been generated from western countries. To provide a broader understanding of the concept of work engagement, this study was an examination of work engagement from a western Asian perspective. Specifically, the focus was on how Saudi nurses perceived nursing work engagement. A qualitative, descriptive study, with semi-structured interviews, explored the perceptions of Saudi nurses’ work engagement and the influences on nurse work engagement within the Saudi healthcare workplace. The study sample included 14 participants. Data were analyzed using content and thematic analysis. Five themes describing the perceptions of Saudi nurses’ work engagement were identified from the data including Knowing One’s Role and What to Do, Loving the Nursing Profession and One’s Practice Area, Experiencing Feelings of Giving and Sharing, Focusing on a Dedication to Work and Patient Care, and Feeling Professional Responsibility and Focus. The following categories and sub-categories addressed the influences on nurse work engagement: features of organizations (management, resources, social support, appreciation, and Vision 2030), features of individuals (personality, psychological state, and negative view of nursing/disrespect), and features of nursing work (the nature of nursing work, and workload). The findings of this study provide understanding and insight to strengthen nurses’ work engagement and improve the work environment. The study findings offer nursing research and science a clarification about the concept of work engagement that is relevant to the nursing profession and advances the development of knowledge relevant to nursing work engagement. Implications for nursing education include offering faculty and administrators a better understanding to facilitate a sense of belonging for undergraduate nursing students to the nursing profession and development of professional identity. The study findings helped identify the influencing factors of work engagement within the Saudi nursing workplace, including the influence of Vision 2030. Additionally, the findings have potential benefits for nurse administration; based on the significant role in creating a healthy work environment and this may increase nurses’ work engagement. Finally, the findings may be transferable to other nursing populations in the Gulf countries with similar cultural norms.