AN INVESTIGATION OF STAFF TURNOVER AT A PRIVATE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IN THE KAVANGO REGION, NAMIBIA

Abstract

The study sought to investigate the factors contributing to the high turnover of clinical staff at two Catholic Health Services (CHS) hospitals of Andara and Nyangana in the Kavango region of Namibia. The conceptual framework, factors related to the decision to stay in or leave rural and remote areas, was adapted from Henderson and Tulloch (2008) and guided this study. A quantitative, cross-sectional and descriptive study design was used to describe the factors associated and contributing to the turnover of clinical staff from these two health facilities. The sampling frame consisted of 107 CHS employees in Andara and Nyangana (10
medical officers, 1 pharmacist, 4 pharmacist assistants, 39 registered nurses and 53 enrolled nurses). Written permission to conduct the study was obtained from the Director of CHS and informed consent was obtained from each respondent prior to data collection. A nonprobability convenience sampling technique was utilized to realise a sample of 33 respondents (8 medical officers, 1 pharmacist, 1 pharmacist assistant, 16 registered nurses and 7 enrolled nurses). Data was collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. SPSS and MS Excel were used to capture, clean and analyse the data. The main findings of the study showed that while compensation factors were important to clinical staff in Andara and Nyangana, they may not necessarily contribute to turnover. However, lack of good schools for children, high workload due to staff shortages, poor
telephone and internet connectivity, lack of accommodation for staff, and poor supervision and management could be contributing to this turnover of clinical staff from the two hospitals. Based on the findings of the study, CHS management should design and implement interventions to improve the accommodation situation, build capacity of their supervisors in supportive supervision, mentorship and management, liaise with relevant agencies to improve telephone and internet connectivity and improve access to good schools by liaising with other good Roman Catholic schools in the region.