Survey of Attitude toward Work among Pharmacists Working in Large Chain Community Pharmacies in Japan

Cluster analysis of pharmacists’ work attitudes

“…Staff turnover makes it difficult for the remaining pharmacists. Pharmacists with low levels of satisfaction intended to leave their jobs within the next 5 years This tendency is also described in overseas studies . In our study, clusters of job satisfaction remain at levels of less than 69 points, and future work plans to remain for less than 5 years or unclear are exhibited by four clusters of community pharmacists: clusters 8 (35‐ to 39‐year‐old single females), 3 (26‐ to 29‐year‐old single males), 6 (22‐ to 25‐year‐old single females), and 7 (26‐ to 29‐year‐old single/married females) in the order of low‐level job satisfaction.…”

“…The original survey of community pharmacists was conducted from December 2007 to January 2008 (Kraft, Medical Pharmacy, Nihon Chozai, and Pfercos—four large chain pharmacies—with approximately 600 widely dispersed pharmacies of various sizes. An accurate number could not be identified because several pharmacies opened or closed during the survey period) . The original survey of hospital pharmacists was conducted from January 2010 to March 2010 (Tokushukai Hospital Group, with 66 hospitals of various sizes, the number of beds in which ranged from 30 to 600) …”

“…Hospital pharmacists express dissatisfaction with their workplace situations; however, they consider their jobs to be worthwhile occupations . Conversely, previous studies expressed a considerably higher level of job satisfaction for community and hospital pharmacists as compared with other workers . Overseas research with regard to work attitudes among pharmacists has revealed pharmacists to be satisfied with their jobs, and job satisfaction has been described as an important factor influencing pharmacists’ perspectives on the quality of work‐life .…”

“…In the studies, specific items were not found although relationships between job satisfaction and questionnaire items were sought. However, relationships between future work plans and several questionnaire items were recognized for both types of pharmacists . For community pharmacists, factors possibly affecting future work plans of remaining until retirement or for less than 5 years included employment status, gender, age, number of years employed, and job satisfaction .…”

“…However, relationships between future work plans and several questionnaire items were recognized for both types of pharmacists . For community pharmacists, factors possibly affecting future work plans of remaining until retirement or for less than 5 years included employment status, gender, age, number of years employed, and job satisfaction . For hospital pharmacists, the factors were age, number of years employed, job satisfaction, and reasons for dissatisfaction .…”