Performance of Health Workers in a Recently Devolved System of Government in Nakuru County - Kenya 2010 to 2014.

Abstract

Introduction: This study assessed the performance of health workers in a recently devolved system of government in Nakuru county 2010 to 2014.

Objectives: To establish factors that impede or enhance performance of health workers To identify the current human resources management practices used to manage performance of health workers. To assess health workers level of performance based on their availability, productivity, responsiveness and competence.

Methodology: The study used descriptive cross sectional design using both quantitative method to collect data from health workers using a structured questionnaire and qualitative method to collect data from health service managers using a semi-structured interview guide. Study population comprised 249 health workers and 16 health service managers. Probability stratified random sampling and simple random sampling was used to select participants for quantitative strand and judgmental sampling for qualitative strand. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 and qualitative data was coded and analyzed manually.

Conclusion: The researcher concluded that clear organization strategies, working environment and individual behavior contribute to better performance. The researcher has proposed a performance management framework that might improve the performance of health workers.