Assessment of the Effect of Leadership Practices on Job Satisfaction among Nurses in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

Abstract

Background: The healthcare industry serves as one of the main sectors for national development in every country as it is central to the happiness and the wellbeing of the population (WHO, 2008) . Job satisfaction as explained by (Spector, 2008) as the level to which employees like the work they do, is of more importance in the health sector as it affects the delivery of services among nurses positively or negatively (Ahmad et al., 2017) . This study examined the role of nurse managers ‘/ unit heads leadership styles on nursing staff job satisfaction. Using the Kouzes and Posner Transformational Leadership Practices and Paul Spector Job Satisfaction Survey as an organizing framework. Method: A cross-sectional quantitative study was used to conduct the research among nurses in the Greater Accra Region using the La General Hospital, Achimota Hospital, and Ledzekuku-Krowor Municipal Assembly Hospital scopes for the study. A total of 270 participants were involved in the study and the Stata version 15 was used to analyze the data. Linear regression was performed to determine the relationship between leadership practices and job satisfaction. Results: It was found that Unit Heads demonstrated all the five leadership practices of the Kouzes and Posner Leadership Model but on a moderate level and depending on the situation they faced but were more inclined to the practice of “encouraging the heart’. Out of the 270 respondents, only 14.8% were satisfied, with 78.5% identified as ambivalent meaning they were either doubtful or uncertain about their satisfaction. 6.6% of the respondents reported certainly that they were not satisfied with their job. When a simple linear regression was run, total leadership practices were found to predict the job satisfaction levels of the subordinates. Conclusion: The findings of the study revealed that the Kouzes and Posner Leadership Practices were moderately demonstrated by the various unit heads and also predicted the job satisfaction levels of subordinate nurses. The results of this research have consequences for the growth of human resource strategy as well as capacity building of present and future governance in health care.