Assessment of job satisfaction among hospital pharmacists in Saudi Arabia

Background: Job dissatisfaction at work has been associated with low productivity, absenteeism, high turnover, and workers reducing their hours. Little is known about job satisfaction among pharmacists in Saudi Arabia and why they are leaving their profession. This study aims to assess job satisfaction status among Saudi pharmacists working in different practice sites in Saudi Arabia and to explore factors associated with job satisfaction among pharmacists in Saudi Arabia. Method: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of pharmacists working in government and private hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Results: A total of 122 pharmacists answered the survey, of which 42.98% were satisfied with the size of their work place and stated it was large enough to perform their job, and 47.11% were satisfied regarding having access to computer resources such as Internet and pharmaceutical references. The main factors for job satisfaction were salary, workload, work environment, training and education opportunities, promotion, and incentives. Conclusion: Job satisfaction among pharmacists is relatively low and may create economic and work force complications in Saudi Arabia. Education, training, and promotions within each premises as well as policies concerning general classification and ranking systems need to be re-evaluated to improve overall job satisfaction.