Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It can safely be assumed that work is a central part of people's daily activities
in modem times, and dentists and other health workers are no exception to this
rule. The following benefits have been ascribed to having a job, namely that
of being a source of money, activity, variety, temporal structure, social
contacts, status and identity in society.
To what extent does the job as dentist in the civil service provide fulfilment
of these basic requirements of having a satisfying job? Considering the
number of resignations in recent years of state employed dentists and the well
known and often reported "brain drain" of South African professionals, it is
important to assess the status of job satisfaction amongst our health
professionals, especially those within the state employ. These dentists are
responsible for the health care delivery to the impoverished masses who make
up a large proportion of the South African population.
This study set out to determine the level of job satisfaction among state
dentists and how this is perceived by them and reflected in their work
performance. It was the aim of the researcher to provide some insight into the
working lives of a very important sector of the primary health care providers
employed by the Department of Health of the Western Cape Provincial
Government. The outcome of the study could be used as a basis for further
research in this area.
A survey was conducted among all state employed dentists in the Western
Cape, excluding dentists attached to the military or academic institutions. The
survey instrument consisted of a structured, quantitative questionnaire as well
as an open-ended section for comment on specific issues. Furthermore, an indepth
semi-structured interview was conducted with one dentist in order to
write a case report on the work experience of a state employed dentist.The major fmdings of this study are the following:
i) The main determinants of job satisfaction revolve around the work
environment, and dentists in state employ enjoy staff support, feel
good about what they do for patients, and the standard of work done,
but are unhappy about income, lack of respect by patients, senior
management and colleagues in private practice. Limited treatment
options, poor procurement systems and frequent breakdown of
equipment affect their sense of job satisfaction negatively.
ii) The level of dissatisfaction is not of such a proportion to persuade
them to leave the service, as most dentists would like to remain in their
posts. However, most dentists agree that there are no incentives for
improving work performance.
iii) Dentists responded to their sense of job satisfaction in different ways.
While some admitted that their performance is directly linked to how
well it is going at work, a large percentage of respondents reported that
they do not allow their work performance to be influenced by their
perceived job dissatisfaction.
iv) Ifwe look at the case study, it is evident that perceived satisfaction or
dissatisfaction depends on the individual and how he or she views the
world. In this particular case the dentist was very realistic about his
ambitions as a person and as a dentist, and set goals for himself within
these boundaries. The result is that he remains motivated and satisfied. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit kan geredelik aanvaar word dat werk die kern uitmaak van mense se
daaglikse aktiwiteite, en tandartse en ander gesondheidswerkers is geen
uitsondering nie. Die volgende voordele word aan werk toegeskryf: bron van
inkomste, aktiwiteit, afwisseling, tydsindeling, sosiale omgang, status en
posisie in die gemeenskap.
Tot watter mate voldoen die werk van 'n tandarts in die staatsdiens aan die
basiese vereistes van 'n bevredigende werk? As mens die getal bedankings
van tandartse uit die staatsdiens oor die afgelope jare in ag neem, asook die
welbekende en gereeld vermelde "brein trein" van professionele mense in
Suid-Afrika, voel mens dis belangrik om vas te stel watter werksbevrediging
heers onder gesondheidspersoneel, veral diegene in die staatsdiens. Tandartse
in die staatsdiens is verantwoordelik vir gesondheidsdienslewering aan die
arm massas, wat die oorgrote meerderheid uitmaak van die Suid-Afrikaanse
bevolking.
Hierdie studie was daarop gemik om die werksbevredigingsvlak van
staatstandartse vas te stel, asook hoe hulle dit ervaar en demonstreer in hul
werkverrigting. Die navorser het dit ten doel gehad om insig te bring in die
werksbestaan van 'n baie belangrike komponent van gesondheidswerkers in
diens van die Departement van Gesondheid in die Wes-Kaapse Provinsiale
Regering. Die bevindinge van die studie kan dien as basis vir verdere
navorsing op hierdie gebied.
'n Meningspeiling is onderneem onder staatstandartse in die Wes-Kaap, met
tandartse verbonde aan die weermag en akademiese instellings uitgesluit. Die
opname-instrument het bestaan uit 'n gestruktureerde kwantitatiewe vraelys
saam met 'n afdeling vir kommentaar oor spesifieke knelpunte. Verder was
daar 'n semi-gestruktureerde diepte-onderhoud gevoer met een tandarts om verslag te doen oor 'n gevallestudie rakende die werksondervinding van 'n
staatstandarts.
Die kembevindinge van die studie was:
i) Die belangrikste determinante van werksbevrediging betrek die
werksomstandighede. Terwyl tandartse ondersteuning geniet van
hul mede-personeel, goed voeloor hul diens aan pasiente, en die
standaard van hul werk, voel hulle ongelukkig oor inkomste,
gebrek aan respek van pasiente, senior bestuur en kollegas in die
privaat sektor. Beperkte behandelingskeuses, swak
voorsieningsisteme en knaende gebrek aan toerusting affekteer hul
werksbevrediging negatief.
ii) Die mate van werksbevrediging is nie van so 'n aard dat dit hulle
motiveer om die diens te verlaat nie, want die meeste tandartse wil
hul poste behou. Die meeste tandartse voel egter dat daar nie enige
aanmoediging bestaan vir verbeterde werkverrigting nie.
iii) Tandartse reageer verskillend op hul menmg omtrent werksbevrediging.
Terwyl sommige erken dat hul werkverrigting direk
gekoppel is aan hoe goed dit by die werk gaan, het 'n groot
persentasie van deelnemers aan die opname aangedui dat hulle nie
toelaat dat hul werkverrigting deur hulonbevredigende
werksomstandighede geaffekteer word nie
iv) As ons die gevallestudie beskou, is dit duidelik dat of bevrediging
ondervind word, al dan nie, van die individu afhang, en sy of haar
lewensbeskouing. In hierdie spesifieke geval, was die tandarts baie
realisties omtrent sy ambisie as persoon en as tandarts, en het sy
doelwitte binne hierdie perke gestel. Die uitslag is dat hy
gemotiveerd en bevredig bly.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52902 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Bailey, Sidney Lloyd |
| Contributors | Naidoo, S., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences. Dept. of Dentistry. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 84 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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