Abstract
Objective
To assess the job satisfaction of nurses, their work environment, dealing of health care professionals with nurses, attitude of the patients and their attendants towards nurses and to find out the problems of boarder nurses.

Methods
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 70 nurses in three tertiary care hospitals of Rawalpindi (17, 26 and 27 from Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Head Quarters Hospital respectively) who were enrolled in the study by convenience sampling. The study was carried out for a period of two months from March-April 2009 and data was collected by using structured questionnaire. Questionnaire comprised of questions pertaining to job satisfaction of the nurses in terms of work environment, salary package, boarding facilities and satisfaction with attitude of the health care professionals, patients and their attendants.

Results
Of the total 70 nurses, 24.28% were satisfied with salary of <10,000 Rs. 69.23%, 37% and 29.4% respondents from Benazir Bhutto Hospital, District Head Quarters Hospital and Holy Family Hospital were satisfied with their jobs. 40.5% boarders while 28.6% non-boarders expressed their job satisfaction. Among 70 nurses, 65.71%, 80% and 47.14% respondents were satisfied with the attitude of male patients, female patients and patients’ attendants, respectively. 92.8% were satisfied with dealing of doctors while 84.3% nurses were satisfied with the attitude of paramedical staff, respectively. Only 12.86% nurses were highly satisfied with their job and 37.14% were least satisfied with their jobs.

Conclusion
Most of the nurses were dissatisfied with their jobs. Nurses of Benazir Bhutto Hospital had the highest level of job satisfaction while those of Holy Family Hospital were least satisfied. (Rawal Med J 2011;36:150-154).

Key words: Tertiary care, nurses, paramedical staff.