Factors affecting the quality of working life among nurses caring for Syrian refugee camps in Jordan

Hum Resour Health. 2024 Jan 2;22(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12960-023-00884-8.

Abstract

Objectives: The global refugee crisis, exacerbated by the Syrian war, has placed tremendous strain on Jordan's healthcare system and infrastructure, notably impacting nurses working in refugee camps. The aim to identify factors influencing nurses' Quality of life at work (QWL) and understand their significance in crisis healthcare environments.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in multiple healthcare facilities within Syrian refugee camps. A convenient sample of 166 nurses participated, and data were collected using the Brook's Quality of Nursing Work Life Survey. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential (one-way ANOVA) statistics. Significance level was set at 0.05.

Results: Nurses in this study generally reported a moderate QWL, with an average score of 152.85, indicating that their overall work experience falls into the moderate range. The study found that nurses perceived their work-life/home-life balance (mean score 25.79), work design (mean score 35.71), work context (mean score 71.37), and work world (mean score 19.96) at levels indicative of moderate satisfaction. There were no statistically significant differences in QWL among participating nurses, suggesting that factors other than demographic characteristics may play a more influential role in determining nurses' QWL in the unique context of refugee caregiving.

Conclusion: This study underscores that working within refugee healthcare missions and recommends targeted interventions to enhance their well-being.

Keywords: Healthcare; Humanitarian crisis; Jordan; Nurses; Quality of work life; Refugee camps; Syrian refugees.

MeSH terms

  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Jordan
  • Quality of Life*
  • Refugee Camps*
  • Syria