Motivation and satisfaction of healthcare professionals in the prison system

Abstract

Uvod: Politike i prakse usmjerene na unapređenje zdravlja u zatvorskom sustavu donose višestruke koristi – ne samo zatvorenicima i široj zajednici, već i samim zdravstvenim djelatnicima, jer pridonose većem profesionalnom zadovoljstvu, motivaciji te smanjenju stresa i psihičke napetosti. Visoka razina motivacije i empatije u ovom specifičnom radnom okruženju nužna je za pružanje kvalitetne i humane zdravstvene skrbi. Cilj: Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati razinu emocionalne empatije zdravstvenih djelatnika zaposlenih u zatvorskom sustavu Republike Hrvatske te njihove stavove o važnosti specijaliziranih edukacija potrebnih za uspješno obavljanje posla u zatvorskom okruženju. Također je ispitivan utjecaj sociodemografskih obilježja (spol, razina obrazovanja, radno iskustvo) na razinu empatije. Metode: Primijenjena je kombinacija kvantitativnog i kvalitativnog pristupa. Kvantitativni dio sastojao se od anketnog upitnika s ljestvicom emocionalne empatije i pitanjima o stavovima prema edukaciji, dok su kvalitativni podaci prikupljeni polustrukturiranim intervjuima s četvero medicinskih sestara/tehničara. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 46 ispitanika različitih zdravstvenih profila (medicinske sestre, liječnici, stomatolozi, fizioterapeuti), većinom ženskog spola (62%) i srednje stručne spreme (64%). Rezultati: Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da zdravstveni djelatnici u zatvorskom sustavu iskazuju umjerenu do visoku emocionalnu empatiju, bez značajnih razlika u odnosu na spol, obrazovanje ili radno iskustvo. Sudionici su izrazili visoko priznanje važnosti specijaliziranih edukacija, smatrajući ih korisnima za unapređenje profesionalnih kompetencija, osobito u području empatije i pristupa specifičnim skupinama poput zatvorenika. Većina ispitanika (95,12%) nije bila upoznata s radom u zatvorskom okruženju tijekom osnovnog ili visokog obrazovanja, što ukazuje na potrebu uključivanja ovih sadržaja u obrazovne programe. Također, rad u zatvorskom sustavu najčešće je rezultat preporuka obitelji i prijatelja, a ne osobne profesionalne inicijative, što upućuje na nedostatak informacija o uvjetima i izazovima ovog rada prije zapošljavanja. Zaključak: Zaključeno je da je nužno razviti specijalizirane edukacijske programe te kontinuiranu profesionalnu podršku za zdravstvene djelatnike u zatvorskom sustavu, kako bi se osigurala njihova stručnost, emocionalna otpornost i motivacija za dugoročni rad u zahtjevnom okruženju kaznenih ustanova.Introduction: Policies and practices aimed at improving health care within the prison system bring multiple benefits—not only for inmates and the wider community but also for health care professionals themselves. Such policies contribute to higher professional satisfaction, motivation, and reduced stress and psychological tension among staff, which positively affects their overall physical and mental well-being. A high level of motivation and empathy is essential for providing quality and humane health care in this specific working environment. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the level of emotional empathy among health care professionals employed in the prison system of the Republic of Croatia and to assess their attitudes regarding the importance of specialized education necessary for quality work in this unique environment. The study also explored the influence of sociodemographic factors (gender, education level, work experience) on empathy levels. Methods: A mixed-methods design was used. The quantitative part included a questionnaire with an emotional empathy scale and questions on perceptions of education, while qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with four nurses/technicians working in prisons. A total of 46 respondents participated, including various health professions (nurses, physicians, dentists, physiotherapists), mostly female (62%) and with secondary education (64%). Results: The results showed that health care professionals in the prison system demonstrate moderate to high levels of emotional empathy, with no statistically significant differences based on gender, education, or work experience. Participants highly valued the importance of specialized training, considering it essential for improving their professional competencies, especially in the context of empathy and working with specific populations such as prisoners. Most respondents (95.12%) reported that they had not been introduced to the specifics of prison health care during their formal education, indicating the need to incorporate these topics into educational curricula. Furthermore, employment in the prison system was most often the result of family or friend recommendations rather than personal professional choice, highlighting a lack of prior information regarding the working conditions and challenges of this environment. Conclusion: It is concluded that the development of specialized educational programs and the provision of continuous professional support are necessary to ensure the competence, emotional resilience, and motivation of health care professionals working in the demanding environment of correctional institutions