Direct and Moderating Effects of Work Environment and Structural Empowerment on Job Stress and Job Satisfaction Among Nurses in the Sultanate of Oman

Objective: This paper seeks to explore the relationships between nurses’ work environment, job stress, and job satisfaction, as well as the moderating effects of work environment and empowerment on the job stress–job satisfaction relationship. Methods: A descriptive correlational design was utilized. The study encompassed a convenience sample of 1,796 hospital nurses from the 11 governorates in Oman. A self-report questionnaire that included a set of instruments was used to collect data. Results: The results showed that nurses who perceived higher levels of job stress reported lower levels of satisfaction and empowerment, and perceived their work environment as less favorable and supportive. The findings only confirmed the direct effects of work environment and empowerment on satisfaction; there was no support for indirect or moderating effects. The hierarchical regression model showed that 46.5% of the variation in the level of job satisfaction was explained by the study variables. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate the importance of implementing strategies that empower staff, provide a supportive and positive work environment, and tackle job stress to enhance levels of job satisfaction. Keywords: Work Environment; Empowerment; Job Stress; Job Satisfaction; Nurses; Oman

Determinants of Physicians’ Job Satisfaction: A national multi-centre study from the Sultanate of Oman

Objectives: Physician satisfaction with their job can lead to a better quality of care, fewer chances of making errors, and better patient outcomes. The purpose of the study was to examine physician satisfaction; and to assess job satisfaction across several factors, such as quality of care, ease of practice, relationship with leadership, and inter-professional collaboration. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Data were collected between July 2019 and January 2020. Participants provided demographic information and completed surveys related to physician satisfaction (13-item Likert type items on a scale from 1 to 5), and inter-professional collaboration (15-item, 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 for “strongly disagree” to 4 for “strongly agree”). Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the relationship between overall job satisfaction and demographic features and inter-professional collaboration. Results: Out of 396 physicians who were contacted, 354 responded (response rate = 89.4%). The median age was 40 years, and there were 208 male and 124 female physicians. The vast majority (238/354 = 62%) were expatriates. Seventy percent had a post-graduate degree. The vast majority (308 = 87%) worked in government hospitals. Results showed that 15 (5%) of the physicians were not satisfied with their job (<3.00), 179 (40%) expressed a moderate level of satisfaction (3.00 – 3.75), and 129 (55%) were highly satisfied (>3.76). There was no difference in mean job satisfaction score among different groups of study participants, except for gender, and the working grade (p < 0.05). The overall job satisfaction rates were higher for the quality of care (M = 3.93, SD = 0.61), and for ease of practice (M = 3.89, SD = 0.55) and lower for the relationship with leadership (M = 3.67, SD = 0.86). Having a clinical postgraduate degree together with a PhD, a senior level of responsibility and good inter-professional relationship were associated with higher job satisfaction rates (p = 0.003 and 0.007, respectively). Conclusion: Overall, the job satisfaction rate was high. There was no difference among different groups of study participants, except for the working grade. Having a clinical postgraduate degree, a senior level of responsibility, and good inter-professional relationship were associated with higher job satisfaction rates. The overall job satisfaction rates were higher for the quality of care, and for ease of practice, and lower for relationship with the leadership. Relationship with the leadership is a modifiable factor and efforts at enhancing the physician-leadership relationship may lead to even higher satisfaction rates. Keywords: Interprofessional relations; Job Satisfaction; Leadership; Oman; Physician; Quality of health car

Pretibial myxoedema: a case report with scanning electron microscopy.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-11T23:40:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Suita17Pretibialmyxoedemaacase1.pdf: 679167 bytes, checksum: 44436932aec60db1830d43527c90b3c4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-01-10bitstream/item/170810/1/Suita-17-Pretibial-myxoedema-a-case-1.pd

Pretibial myxoedema: a case report with scanning electron microscopy.

2016Letter to the editor. DOI: 10.1111/jdv.1400

Pretibial myxoedema: a case report with scanning electron microscopy.

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Facilitating students’ reflections on community practice:A new approach

In Australia, the nurses’ registration board necessitates nurses to be competent reflective practitioners. Consequently, student nurses require opportunities to develop those capacities. This chapter discusses the challenges of engaging nursing students in a novel pedagogical approach aimed to enhance their critical reflectivity. The example is community health practicum experience. Aside from the students’ assessment requirement to submit a clinical portfolio, there was no post-practicum follow-up to augment their learning of their community health placements. At the time this study was undertaken, the graduate-entry students only spent 1 week on their community health practicum and third-year undergraduate students 2 weeks. However, previous research has clearly identified that student nurses spend their first week assimilating into a new clinical setting before they are able to focus and reflect on their learning needs. The community health facilities students attend are quite varied in what they might offer in terms of opportunities and engagement. To augment learning a discussion forum was created on a project-specific, web-based learning interface, ‘Critical reflection on Community Practice’. Students were requested to upload a short video clip to share their learning experience of their community health placements. The videos were analysed for both evidence of reflectivity using The Reflective Writing Framework and knowledge content through content analysis. Findings illustrate a richer depth of knowledge, heightened awareness, and enhanced reflectivity. An examination on the benefits and limitations of video as a pedagogical approach for facilitating post-practicum critical reflection is presented.</p

AlSi5Mg0.3 Alloy for the Manufacture of Automotive Wheels

The heat-treated AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy is the standard wheel alloy as it offers the best compromise between fatigue strength and elongation. Alloys with less than 7 wt% Si may also be of interest for the manufacture of aluminium wheels to limit Si poisoning that impairs grain refinement. Hence, the potential of AlSi5Mg0.3 alloy was investigated as it could offer superior mechanical properties owing to a smaller grain structure. AlSi5Mg0.3 alloy does indeed exhibit smaller grains but fails to offer higher mechanical properties. AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy with a smaller dendritic structure but coarser grains is superior. The higher fluidity of the latter is believed to offer better feeding characteristics, which in turn improves the soundness of the casting and thus leads to superior structural quality and mechanical properties. An overall industrial assessment favours the standard Al7Si0.3 Mg alloy in the manufacture of light alloy wheels