Impact of nurses’ motivation on patients’ outcomes: a case study of renal unit at Kenyatta national hospital, Nairobi-kenya

Abstract

Introduction: In the health care systems, motivation plays an important role in retaining health care personnel. This in turn increases productivity of the health care systems which is manifested in patients’ outcomes. There are several motivational patterns in the nursing profession such rewards, relationship, challenge, control and drive. Patient satisfaction, quality of life, symptoms, morbidity and mortality are some of the patient outcomes in the health care service.

Objective: The study sought to explore the impact of nurses’ motivation on the patients’ outcome in Renal Unit at Kenyatta National Hospital.

Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive quantitative study whereby semi-structured questionnaires and checklists were used to collect data from 45 nurses and 150 patients from the renal unit at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) after the approval from KNH/UON institutional review board. The study period was from January 2013 to June 2013. The purposive sampling was used to get the participants and the site of the study. The data was analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17. Participation in the study was voluntary and based on respondents’ ability to give informed consent. Results: A total of 45 nurses and 150 patients from renal unit participated in the study. From the study findings, it was revealed that male nurses were more motivated with recognition than females nurses at p=0.046. It was further noted that married nurses were more motivated with achievement at p=0.044 and autonomy at p=0.026. The single nurses were less motivated with renumeration than the married and divorced and the relationship was statistically significant. It was noted that nurses who had worked more than seven years were more motivated with achievement at p=0.044 and autonomy at p= 0.026 than their counterpart. Nurses who had xiv

worked for less than seven years were less motivated with renumeration. This relationship was statistically significant P=0.005 The patients’ outcomes were also explored in terms of patient satisfaction and other patients’ outcomes. It was established that patients were more satisfied with nurses good listening skills, being treated as individuals, nurses positive attitude, nurses responsiveness, and information provision. Their relationships were statistically significant p<0.05 with age and marital status. It was also noted that patients who were less than 20 years old were more stressed post dialysis than the other age groups at p=0.013. It was further noted that there was a relationship between the nurses’ motivation level and the patients’ outcomes at renal unit of KNH. Conclusion: The study revealed that nurses in renal unit of KNH are motivated with achievement, recognition, autonomy and renumeration. The patients were satisfied with nurses’ good listening skills, being treated as individuals, nurses’ responsiveness, and provision of information.