Kontakt X:X | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2025.051

Motivation, job satisfaction, performance, and commitment of surface cleaning staff in a pediatric ICU: a cross-sectional studyNursing - Original article

Viviane Perbeline Gonçalves1, Alvaro Francisco Lopes de Sousa1, 2, *, Helder de Pádua Lima3, Daniel de Macedo Rocha3, Winola Dafny Douglas de Oliveira1, Verusca Soares de Souza4, Luan Aparecido Alexandre Elias1, Aires Garcia Santos Junior1
1 Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campus de Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
2 Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil
3 Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campus de Coxim, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
4 Universidade Estadual do Paraná (UNESPAR), Paranavaí, Brazil

Background: Surface cleaning and disinfection are vital to infection control in pediatric ICUs, yet those who perform them often receive little recognition, which may undermine motivation, satisfaction, performance, and organizational commitment.

Aim: To assess these constructs among nursing professionals and outsourced cleaning staff in a Brazilian PICU.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with 35 workers (23 nurses/technicians, 12 outsourced cleaners). Data were collected Nov/2023-Apr/2024 using self-administered questionnaires with sociodemographics and four validated scales (Motivation at Work, Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, Work Performance). Descriptive and inferential analyses used α = 0.05.

Results: Overall levels of motivation, job satisfaction, performance, and commitment were moderate. Intrinsic and identified motivation scored higher, while extrinsic motivation tied to pay was lowest (mean = 3.3). Job satisfaction showed no associations with sociodemographics. Higher education correlated with greater affective (p = 0.038) and instrumental (p = 0.007) commitment. Training in cleaning/disinfection was reported by 39.1% of nursing staff and 58.3% of cleaners.

Conclusion: Staff who clean PICU surfaces feel competent and engaged but report low external motivation, especially regarding pay and recognition. Expanding training, recognition, and fair compensation may strengthen satisfaction, motivation, and commitment, benefiting patient safety and infection control.

Keywords: Disinfection; Health Personnel; Job Satisfaction; Motivation; Work Performance
Grants and funding:

This research was supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) - Financial Code: 001. Additional institutional support was provided by the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul and Fundação de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento do Ensino, Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul.

Conflicts of interest:

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Received: July 24, 2025; Revised: September 23, 2025; Accepted: October 16, 2025; Prepublished online: October 30, 2025 

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