Financial Compensation for Professional Nurses Working in Hospitals under Ministry of Public Health in 8 Provinces

Abstract

This study aimed to explore financial compensation paid to professional nurses working in hos­pitals under the Ministry of Public Health to contribute to the formulation of policy on human resource development. It was conducted by selecting samples from all hospitals located in 8 provinces using stratify random sampling method to get 2 provinces from each region of Thailand. Data on monthly financial compensation paid to 10,014 professional nurses from 105 studied hospitals were collected and recorded in January 2015 using electronic questionnaires. The collected data were analysed by using STATA static Release 11 descriptive statistic method. The study revealed that individual professional nurse received an average financial compensation of 38,581 baht monthly, most of which was salaries (66.8%); followed by overtime, evening/night shift and workload compensation of 18.8%; expert and area compensation (6.6%); increased monthly compensation (6.5%) and welfare benefits (1.2%). Anaesthetist nurse ob­tained highest compensation. An average of total compensation for professional nurse in regional hospital general hospital and community hospital was at similar rate. In regard to types of compensation, it was shown that salaries and fixed compensation climbed up in relation to age and duration of in-service while compensation for nurse speciality types and type of facilities declined in the long run. The findings from this study suggested that should adjust the rate of compensation for non-official working hours from the fix rate to a variable rate in accordance with the specialization and working experiences, particularly at night time when personnel for safety of patients were limted. In addition, comparative studies on compen­sation rate for professional nurses in hospitals under other sectors should be conducted in order to propose to the Ministry of Public Health to adjust appropriate compensation that would be consistent with that of the labour market. Such approach could be a motivatation for work which would mitigate the problem of shortage of nurse in the Ministry of Public Health.