Employment Opportunities for Graduate Nurses From 4 Vilnius Hospitals
OBJECTIVE. This study aimed at assessing employment opportunities for graduate nurses from 4 hospitals in Vilnius. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Participants of the study included 136 working nurses with either a university or college degree in nursing. The survey took place from January to April of 2011 in 4 hospitals in Vilnius. The head nurses distributed the questionnaires for staff nurses and later on selected for transferring to the researcher; 200 questionnaires were distributed, and 136 nurses filled out these questionnaires (response rate, 68%). RESULTS. Almost half (42.6%) of all the respondents looked for the employment opportunities using their personal contacts; 41.2% of the respondents visited the human resources divisions of medical institutions. One-third of the respondents (30.1%) indicated that they always wanted to work here; other respondents (19.1% for each option) pointed out that they either could not get employed where they preferred or there was no possibility of employment in other places. The majority (86.1%) of the nurses had a positive attitude toward employment opportunities abroad. Better working conditions (79%) and salary (14%) were indicated by the nurses as the most frequent reasons for willing to leave for work in a foreign country. One-third (31%) of the respondents stated that they were satisfied with their job. CONCLUSIONS. The employment opportunities for Lithuanian nurses from 4 Vilnius hospitals are mostly based on personal initiative and inclusion of personal contacts; the professional wishes of young nurses seeking the job are not always realized in their first employment. There are positive attitudes toward work abroad even if some reasons for staying to work in the country are present.
Correspondence to A. Mikaliūkštienė Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio 21, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania. aldona.mikaliukstiene@mf.vu.lt