Towards a Sustainable Working Life for Optometrists in Private Facility Setting: Factors Explaining Why They Remain in Work and Profession

Abstract

Abstract Background: There is insufficient research on how optometrist experiences their working conditions and environment. Therefore this study was designed to predict the level of job stress, job dissatisfaction and optometrist’s intention to leave the workplace. The aim was to describe and explore success factors explaining why private practicing optometrists remain in work and profession. Methods: A qualitative, descriptive and explorative study based on a theory-driven approach was conducted. Data collection took place from August to November 2019. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted in which six optometrists working in private optical setups in Kisumu County were involved. The sense of coherence and its three dimensions: comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness, were used as a tool to structure the analysis of the qualitative data. Hence, a theory-driven and a data-driven approach with qualitative content analysis of manifest and latent content were used. Results: The results showed that a sense of meaningfulness, manageability and comprehensibility influenced factors such as: having fun at work, being acknowledged, having enough time to involve in their private activities, being autonomous, respect of their rights by employers, being appreciated by employers, and having a balance between work and leisure time. Conclusion: One precondition of improving optometrist’s health and well-being was having clear leadership in Optometric Association of Kenya to facilitate proper working environment for the optometrists being that they haven’t received recognition from the government. Another precondition was having a sense of coherence in relation to both optometrists regardless of the training level. Experiencing job satisfaction and being acknowledged for one’s good work were important; acknowledgement by employers that the optometrist are significant in their business and therefore should be prioritized by good rewards for the services they deliver to the patients. In this way, the optometrists will feel acknowledged and could create a sense of meaningfulness, manageability and comprehensibility in their work.