A multi-method study on the quality of the nurse work environment in acute-care hospitals: positioning Switzerland in the Magnet hospital research.

PubMed

Desmedt, M; De Geest, S; Schubert, M; Schwendimann, R; Ausserhofer, D

2012-12-21

Magnet hospitals share nurse work environment characteristics associated with superior patient, nurse and financial outcomes. In Switzerland, however, it is uncertain how nurses appraise their work environments. To describe the quality of the nurse work environment in 35 Swiss acute care hospitals and to benchmark findings based on international Magnet hospital research. This study used two data sources: (1) the Swiss arm of the RN4CAST study; and (2) a structured literature review. Hospitals were categorised based on Magnet and non-Magnet data. Our outcome variable of interest was the quality of nurse work environment measured with the Practice Environment Scale of the Nurse Work Index (PES-NWI). We reviewed 13 American, Canadian, and Australian studies of acute-care hospitals. Three provided Magnet hospitals' nurse work environment data, and all included non-Magnet hospitals' data. Swiss hospitals' evaluations on nurse work environment quality varied widely, but 25% achieved scores indicating "Magnet nurse work environments". Swiss hospitals' average "Nursing manager ability" subscale scores fulfilled Magnet hospital criteria, although "Nurse participation in hospital affairs" and "Nursing staffing and resource adequacy" scores neared non-Magnet levels. On average, our results indicated high quality nurse work environments in Swiss hospitals. Implementing Magnet model organisational principles might be a valuable approach for Swiss acute-care hospitals to both improve mixed and unfavourable nurse work environments and to improve nurse and patient outcomes. National benchmarking of nurse work environments and other nurse-sensitive indicators may facilitate evaluating the impact of current developments in Swiss healthcare.

An integrative review of nurses' prosocial behaviours contributing to work environment optimization, organizational performance and quality of care.

PubMed

Feather, Janice; McGillis Hall, Linda; Trbovich, Patricia; Baker, G Ross

2018-04-22

To rigorously review the literature on the prosocial workplace behaviours of nurses. Prosocial workplace behaviours, predominantly organisational citizenship behaviours have been theoretically and empirically found to promote individual and group level performance in various industries. However, little consensus exists in the literature regarding the impact of nurses' workplace behaviours on the work environment and organisational performance. An integrative literature review was conducted on studies between 1980 and 2016. Nineteen articles were included related to nurses' prosocial behaviours and performance. A positive relationship was noted between workplace behaviours and individual level performance and unit level performance. Albeit multifactorial, leadership and the social structure of the work environment are important factors contributing to the workplace behaviour-performance relationship. Prosocial behaviours influence the social functioning of the work environment and offer insights into the delivery of quality care. Nurse managers should recognize the influence of leadership style and characteristics in the work environment that encourage employee participation in prosocial behaviours. These additional voluntary efforts by nursing staff may improve organisational effectiveness and quality of care. Inclusion of these behaviours in performance reviews and as cultural norms may help to foster a more collaborative work environment. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nurse work engagement impacts job outcome and nurse-assessed quality of care: model testing with nurse practice environment and nurse work characteristics as predictors

PubMed Central

Van Bogaert, Peter; van Heusden, Danny; Timmermans, Olaf; Franck, Erik

2014-01-01

Aim: To explore the mechanisms through which nurse practice environment dimensions, such as nurse–physician relationship, nurse management at the unit level and hospital management and organizational support, are associated with job outcomes and nurse-assessed quality of care. Mediating variables included nurse work characteristics of workload, social capital, decision latitude, as well as work engagement dimensions of vigor, dedication and absorption. Background: Understanding how to support and guide nurse practice communities in their daily effort to answer complex care most accurate, alongside with the demand of a stable and healthy nurse workforce, is challenging. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Method: Based on earlier empirical findings, a structural equation model, designed with valid measurement instruments, was tested. The study population included registered acute care hospital nurses (N = 1201) in eight hospitals across Belgium. Results: Nurse practice environment dimensions predicted nurses’ ratings of job outcome variables as well as quality of care. Features of nurses’ work characteristics, e.g., perceived workload, decision latitude, social capital, and the three dimension of work engagement, played mediating roles between nurse practice environment and outcomes. A revised model, using various fit measures, explained 60% of job outcomes and 47% of nurse-assessed quality of care. Conclusion: The findings in this study show that nurse work characteristics as workload, decision latitude, and social capital, alongside with nurse work engagement (e.g., vigor, dedication, and absorption) influence nurses’ perspective of their nurse practice environment, job outcomes, and quality of care. The results underline aspects to considerate for various stakeholders, such as executives, nurse managers, physicians, and staff nurses, in setting up and organizing health care services. PMID:25431563

The Quality of Nurses' Work Environment and Workforce Outcomes From the Perspective of Swiss Allied Healthcare Assistants and Registered Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

PubMed

Lacher, Stefanie; De Geest, Sabina; Denhaerynck, Kris; Trede, Ines; Ausserhofer, Dietmar

2015-09-01

Anticipating nursing shortages, the Swiss healthcare system recently introduced the position of allied healthcare assistant (AHA). However, indicators of AHAs' integration and stability, particularly their perceptions of their work environment quality and related outcomes (i.e., burnout, job satisfaction, and intention to leave), remain unclear. (a) To describe AHAs' ratings of the quality of the nurse work environment, job satisfaction, burnout, and intention to leave their workplaces; (b) to compare AHAs' and registered nurses' (RNs') work environment quality ratings and related outcomes; and (c) to assess links between AHAs' work environment quality ratings and related workforce outcomes. A secondary analysis of RN4CAST data (October 2009 to June 2010) on 61 AHAs and 466 RNs in 13 Swiss acute care hospitals. We used descriptive statistics to summarize data of AHAs and RNs on their units and hospitals. Via binary logistic regression models, we compared AHAs and RNs and identified associations between work environment ratings and workforce outcomes. AHAs' work environment quality ratings were significantly higher than those of RNs, and were associated with lower odds of burnout and intention to leave their current job and higher odds of reported job satisfaction. This study provides primary evidence linking AHAs' work environment quality ratings to burnout, job satisfaction, and intention to leave in acute care hospitals. Given the increasing importance of AHAs for nursing care provision, hospitals should assess the quality of nurse work environment and nurse outcomes from the perspective of all nurses. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Are we on the same page? Staff nurse and manager perceptions of work environment, quality of care and anticipated nurse turnover.

PubMed

Gormley, Denise K

2011-01-01

The purpose was to examine differences in perceptions of work environment and quality of care between nurse managers and staff nurses, and the relationship between nurses' perceptions of the work environment and intention to leave. It is important for managers to understand how staff nurses perceive the work environment as these perceptions may affect nurses' intention to leave the organization. Few studies have examined the perceptions of nurses compared with nurse manager/directors regarding the organizational influences on intention to leave. This study was a cross-sectional, non-experimental design. A total of 336 nurses and managers participated from two Midwestern hospitals. Participants completed the Perceived Nurse Work Environment Scale (PNWE), Anticipated Turnover Scale (ATS), and a researcher developed perception of quality scale. Data were analysed for descriptive statistics, Analysis of Variance, and Pearson's correlation. Significant differences were found between nurses and managers on perceptions of work environment. Managers rated work environment higher than staff on all subscales. Work environment was related to anticipated turnover. Managers and staff nurses are 'not on the same page' in perceptions of work environment. Nurse managers need to understand the organizational influences that may affect nurses' intention to leave. Strategies to improve the work environment are necessary to meet the needs of the staff nurse. © 2010 The Author. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Associations Among Nursing Work Environment and Health-Promoting Behaviors of Nurses and Nursing Performance Quality: A Multilevel Modeling Approach.

PubMed

Cho, Hyeonmi; Han, Kihye

2018-05-14

This study aimed to determine the relationships among the unit-level nursing work environment and individual-level health-promoting behaviors of hospital nurses in South Korea and their perceived nursing performance quality. This study used a cross-sectional design. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires from 432 nurses in 57 units at five hospitals in South Korea. Nursing performance quality, nursing work environment, and health-promoting behaviors were measured using the Six Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance, Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index, and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II, respectively. Nurses working in units with nurse managers who were characterized by better ability and by quality leadership, and who provided more support to nurses exhibited significantly greater health responsibility and physical activity. Nurses working with sufficient staffing and resources reported better stress management. Positive collegial nurse-physician relationships in units were significantly associated with more healthy eating among nurses. Nurses working in units with sufficient staffing and resources, and who had a higher level of spiritual growth and health responsibility, were more likely to perceive their nursing performance quality as being higher. To improve the quality of nursing practice, hospitals should focus on helping nurses maintain healthy lifestyles, as well as improving their working conditions in South Korea. Organizational support for adequate human resources and materials, mutual cooperation among nurses and physicians, and workplace health-promotion interventions for spiritual growth and health responsibility are needed. Organizational efforts to provide sufficient staffing and resources, boost the development of personal resources among nurses, and promote nurses' responsibility for their own health could be effective strategies for improving nursing performance quality and patient outcomes. © 2018 Sigma

Work environments for employee creativity.

PubMed

Dul, Jan; Ceylan, Canan

2011-01-01

Innovative organisations need creative employees who generate new ideas for product or process innovation. This paper presents a conceptual framework for the effect of personal, social-organisational and physical factors on employee creativity. Based on this framework, an instrument to analyse the extent to which the work environment enhances creativity is developed. This instrument was applied to a sample of 409 employees and support was found for the hypothesis that a creative work environment enhances creative performance. This paper illustrates how the instrument can be used in companies to select and implement improvements. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: The ergonomics discipline addresses the work environment mainly for improving health and safety and sometimes productivity and quality. This paper opens a new area for ergonomics: designing work environments for enhancing employee creativity in order to strengthen an organisation's capability for product and process innovation and, consequently, its competitiveness.

Predicting Air Quality in Smart Environments

PubMed Central

Deleawe, Seun; Kusznir, Jim; Lamb, Brian; Cook, Diane J.

2011-01-01

The pervasive sensing technologies found in smart environments offer unprecedented opportunities for monitoring and assisting the individuals who live and work in these spaces. As aspect of daily life that is often overlooked in maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the air quality of the environment. In this paper we investigate the use of machine learning technologies to predict CO2 levels as an indicator of air quality in smart environments. We introduce techniques for collecting and analyzing sensor information in smart environments and analyze the correlation between resident activities and air quality levels. The effectiveness of our techniques is evaluated using three physical smart environment testbeds. PMID:21617739

Nurse-perceived quality of care in intensive care units and associations with work environment characteristics: a multicentre survey study.

PubMed

Stalpers, Dewi; Van Der Linden, Dimitri; Kaljouw, Marian J; Schuurmans, Marieke J

2017-06-01

To examine nurse-perceived quality of care, controlling for overall job satisfaction among critical care nurses and to explore associations with work environment characteristics. Nurse-perceived quality of care and job satisfaction have been positively linked to quality outcomes for nurses and patients. Much evidence exists on factors contributing to job satisfaction. Understanding specific factors that affect nurse-perceived quality potentially enables for improvements of nursing care quality. A multicentre survey study was conducted in three Dutch intensive care units. The Dutch version of the Essentials of Magnetism II questionnaire was used; including the single-item indicators: (i) nurse-perceived quality of care; (ii) overall job satisfaction; and (iii) 58 statements on work environments. Data were collected between October 2013 - June 2014. The majority of 123 responding nurses (response rate 45%) were more than satisfied with quality of care (55%) and with their job (66%). No associations were found with nurse characteristics, besides differences in job satisfaction between the units. After controlling for job satisfaction, nurse-perceived quality was positively associated with the work environment characteristics: adequacy of staffing, patient-centeredness, competent peers and support for education. Patient-centeredness and autonomy were the most important predictors for overall job satisfaction. Factors that contribute to nurse-perceived quality of care in intensive care units, independent from the effects of overall job satisfaction, were identified. Hereby, offering opportunities to maximize high quality of care to critically ill patients. Research in a larger sample is needed to confirm our findings. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Compassion Fatigue and the Healthy Work Environment.

PubMed

Kelly, Lesly; Todd, Michael

2017-01-01

Burnout is a concern for critical care nurses in high-intensity environments. Studies have highlighted the importance of a healthy work environment in promoting optimal nurse and patient outcomes, but research examining the relationship between a healthy work environment and burnout is limited. To examine how healthy work environment components relate to compassion fatigue (eg, burnout, secondary trauma) and compassion satisfaction. Nurses (n = 105) in 3 intensive care units at an academic medical center completed a survey including the Professional Quality of Life and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses' Healthy Work Environment standards. Regression models using each Healthy Work Environment component to predict each outcome, adjusting for background variables, showed that the 5 Healthy Work Environment components predicted burnout and that meaningful recognition and authentic leadership predicted compassion satisfaction. Findings on associations between healthy work environment standards and burnout suggest the potential importance of implementing the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses' Healthy Work Environment standards as a mechanism for decreasing burnout. ©2017 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Using Maslow's pyramid and the national database of nursing quality indicators(R) to attain a healthier work environment.

PubMed

Groff-Paris, Lisa; Terhaar, Mary

2010-12-07

The strongest predictor of nurse job dissatisfaction and intent to leave is that of stress in the practice environment. Good communication, control over practice, decision making at the bedside, teamwork, and nurse empowerment have been found to increase nurse satisfaction and decrease turnover. In this article we share our experience of developing a rapid-design process to change the approach to performance improvement so as to increase engagement, empowerment, effectiveness, and the quality of the professional practice environment. Meal and non-meal breaks were identified as the target area for improvement. Qualitative and quantitative data support the success of this project. We begin this article with a review of literature related to work environment and retention and a presentation of the frameworks used to improve the work environment, specifically Maslow's theory of the Hierarchy of Inborn Needs and the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators Survey. We then describe our performance improvement project and share our conclusion and recommendations.

Self-assessed quality of sleep, occupational health, working environment, illness experience and job satisfaction of female nurses working different combination of shifts.

PubMed

Sveinsdóttir, Herdis

2006-06-01

The aim of this study was to describe and compare the self-assessed quality of sleep, occupational health, working environment, illness experience and job satisfaction among female nurses working different combinations of shifts. Evidence from several studies indicates that there is an association between the disruption of the circadian cycle caused by shift work and adverse health effects. A cross-sectional design was used with a sample of 348 nurses drawn from the registry of the Icelandic Nurses' Association, representing 17% of the workforce of Icelandic nurses. A self-administered questionnaire, measuring occupational health, quality of sleep, the illness experience, job satisfaction and working environment was used. Data were analysed according to type of shift (days only, rotating days/evenings, rotating days/evenings/nights) by use of analysis of variance and chi-square. No difference was found between participants based on type of shift with regard to the illness experience, job satisfaction and quality of sleep. Nurses working rotating day/evening/night shifts reported a longer working day, more stressful environmental risk factors, more strenuous work and that they were less able to control their work-pace. In general, the nurses reported low severity of symptoms; however, nurses working rotating days/evenings shifts experienced more severe gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal symptoms when compared with others. This was explained by the short rest period provided for between evening and morning shifts. In general Icelandic nurses are satisfied with their work and their shift assignment does not seem to pathologically disrupt their circadian cycle. Nevertheless, nursing directors are advised to look more closely at the organization of nurses' work during night shifts, as well as the rest period for nurses changing from evening to day shifts.

Acculturation, quality of life and work environment of international nurses in a multi-cultural society: A cross-sectional, correlational study.

PubMed

Goh, Yong-Shian; Lopez, Violeta

2016-05-01

The aim is to examine the acculturation level of international nurses working in a multi-cultural society. The relationship between acculturation, working environment and quality of life of international nurses was also explored. A cross-sectional, correlational study using self-report questionnaire was conducted on 814 international nurses using stratified random sampling based on the nationality distribution of international nurses registered with the Singapore Nursing Board. Outcome measures included World Health Organisation Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL_BREF) and Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index-Revised (PES-NWI-R). Data were collected from June to December 2012. There were variations in the acculturation level among different nationality groups of international nurses. Acculturation levels were the lowest among Mainland Chinese international nurses (M=27.47, SD 5.23). A positive correlation was found between acculturation and quality of life whereas a lower perception of work environment was associated with lower acculturation level. Data obtained from this study can be utilized to develop interventions targeted at the unique needs of the international nurses as they migrate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[High-quality nursing health care environment: the patient safety perspective].

PubMed

Tu, Yu-Ching; Wang, Ruey-Hsia

2011-06-01

Patient safety is regarded as an important indicator of nursing care quality, and nurses hold frontline responsibility to maintain patient safety. Many countries now face healthcare provider shortfalls, and recognize a close correlation between adequate manpower and patient safety. Many healthcare organizations work to foster positive work environments in order to improve health service quality. The active participation and "buy in" of nurses, patients and policymakers are critical to maximize healthcare environment quality and improve patient safety. This article adopts Donabedian's theoretical "Structure-Process-Outcome" model of quality (Donabedian, 1988) and presumes all high-quality healthcare environment indicators to be linked to patient safety. In addition to raising public awareness regarding the influence of healthcare environment quality on patient safety, this research suggests certain indicators for tracking and assessing healthcare environment quality. Future research may design an empirical study based on these indicators to help further enhance healthcare environment quality and the professional development of nurses.

Conflict management style, supportive work environments and the experience of work stress in emergency nurses.

PubMed

Johansen, Mary L; Cadmus, Edna

2016-03-01

To examine the conflict management style that emergency department (ED) nurses use to resolve conflict and to determine whether their style of managing conflict and a supportive work environment affects their experience of work stress. Conflict is a common stressor that is encountered as nurses strive to achieve patient satisfaction goals while delivering quality care. How a nurse perceives support may impact work stress levels and how they deal with conflict. A correlational design examined the relationship between supportive work environment, and conflict management style and work stress in a sample of 222 ED nurses using the expanded nurse work stress scale; the survey of perceived organisational support; and the Rahim organisational conflict inventory-II. Twenty seven percent of nurses reported elevated levels of work stress. A supportive work environment and avoidant conflict management style were significant predictors of work stress. Findings suggest that ED nurses' perception of a supportive work environment and their approach to resolving conflict may be related to their experience of work stress. Providing opportunities for ED nurses in skills training in constructive conflict resolution may help to reduce work stress and to improve the quality of patient care. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measuring Work Environment and Performance in Nursing Homes

PubMed Central

Temkin-Greener, Helena; Zheng, Nan (Tracy); Katz, Paul; Zhao, Hongwei; Mukamel, Dana B.

2008-01-01

Background Qualitative studies of the nursing home work environment have long suggested that such attributes as leadership and communication may be related to nursing home performance, including residents' outcomes. However, empirical studies examining these relationships have been scant. Objectives This study is designed to: develop an instrument for measuring nursing home work environment and perceived work effectiveness; test the reliability and validity of the instrument; and identify individual and facility-level factors associated with better facility performance. Research Design and Methods The analysis was based on survey responses provided by managers (N=308) and direct care workers (N=7,418) employed in 162 facilities throughout New York State. Exploratory factor analysis, Chronbach's alphas, analysis of variance, and regression models were used to assess instrument reliability and validity. Multivariate regression models, with fixed facility effects, were used to examine factors associated with work effectiveness. Results The reliability and the validity of the survey instrument for measuring work environment and perceived work effectiveness has been demonstrated. Several individual (e.g. occupation, race) and facility characteristics (e.g. management style, workplace conditions, staffing) that are significant predictors of perceived work effectiveness were identified. Conclusions The organizational performance model used in this study recognizes the multidimensionality of the work environment in nursing homes. Our findings suggest that efforts at improving work effectiveness must also be multifaceted. Empirical findings from such a line of research may provide insights for improving the quality of the work environment and ultimately the quality of residents' care. PMID:19330892

How nurses and their work environment affect patient experiences of the quality of care: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Healthcare organisations monitor patient experiences in order to evaluate and improve the quality of care. Because nurses spend a lot of time with patients, they have a major impact on patient experiences. To improve patient experiences of the quality of care, nurses need to know what factors within the nursing work environment are of influence. The main focus of this research was to comprehend the views of Dutch nurses on how their work and their work environment contribute to positive patient experiences. Methods A descriptive qualitative research design was used to collect data. Four focus groups were conducted, one each with 6 or 7 registered nurses in mental health care, hospital care, home care and nursing home care. A total of 26 nurses were recruited through purposeful sampling. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis. Results The nurses mentioned essential elements that they believe would improve patient experiences of the quality of nursing care: clinically competent nurses, collaborative working relationships, autonomous nursing practice, adequate staffing, control over nursing practice, managerial support and patient-centred culture. They also mentioned several inhibiting factors, such as cost-effectiveness policy and transparency goals for external accountability. Nurses feel pressured to increase productivity and report a high administrative workload. They stated that these factors will not improve patient experiences of the quality of nursing care. Conclusions According to participants, a diverse range of elements affect patient experiences of the quality of nursing care. They believe that incorporating these elements into daily nursing practice would result in more positive patient experiences. However, nurses work in a healthcare context in which they have to reconcile cost-efficiency and accountability with their desire to provide nursing care that is based on patient needs and preferences, and

Effects of work environment on patient and nurse outcomes.

PubMed

Copanitsanou, Panagiota; Fotos, Nikolaos; Brokalaki, Hero

2017-02-09

Several parameters of the nurse's work environment lead to fewer patient complications and lower nurse burnout. The aim of this systematic review was the analysis of research data related to the effect of nurses' work environments on outcomes for both patients and nurses. Medline was searched by using keywords: 'working conditions', 'work environment', 'nurses', 'nursing staff', 'patients', 'outcomes'. In total, 10 studies were included, of which 4 were cross-sectional and the remaining were descriptive correlational studies. Patients who were hospitalised in units with good work environments for the nurses were more satisfied with the nursing care than the patients in units with poor work environments. Nurses who perceived their work environment to be good experienced higher job satisfaction and lower rates of burnout syndrome. A good work environment constitutes a determinant factor for high care quality and, at the same time, relates to improved outcomes for the nurses.

Creating quality practice environments: not easy, but essential.

PubMed

Winslow, Wendy

2004-01-01

Quality practice environments for registered nurses correlate positively with job satisfaction, productivity, recruitment, retention and client outcomes. However, when registered nurses work in environments that do not enable them to consistently meet their nursing practice standards, patient safety is jeopardized. This article describes the development of Canada's first guidelines for a quality practice environment for registered nurses in all practice environments. It is a tool healthcare leaders can use to improve the practice environment of all health professionals and to promote patient safety.

Work environment for Chinese nurses in different types of ICUs: a multisite cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Bai, Jinbing; Zhang, Qing; Wang, Ying; Yu, Li-Ping; Pei, Xian-Bo; Cheng, Lei; Hsu, Lily

2015-05-01

To investigate the current nurse work environment, levels of job satisfaction and quality of patient care, and to identify intensive care units with a healthier work environment in mainland China. A healthy work environment is closely related to a higher nurse job satisfaction and a better patient care quality. The work environment has not been extensively explored among Chinese intensive care unit nurses. The Chinese version of the Essentials of Magnetism II was used to measure the nurse work environment and another two 0-10 single-item scales were used to assess nurses' overall job satisfaction and nurse-assessed quality of care. The study found that the eight essentials of Chinese version of the Essentials of Magnetism II were significantly correlated with each other and also correlated with overall job satisfaction and quality of care. Nurses from medical intensive care units had a healthier work environment with higher scores of overall job satisfaction and quality of care than other intensive care units, while surgical intensive care units showed the least healthy work environment with the lowest overall job satisfaction and quality of care scores identified. The essentials of Chinese version of the Essentials of Magnetism II, overall job satisfaction and quality of care were also correlated with nurses' work experience and their education level. Nurse administrators and health policy-makers should establish a healthy work environment for intensive care units nurses, especially for those from surgical intensive care units. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Association of the nurse work environment with nurse incivility in hospitals.

PubMed

Smith, Jessica G; Morin, Karen H; Lake, Eileen T

2018-03-01

To determine whether nurse coworker incivility is associated with the nurse work environment, defined as organisational characteristics that promote nurse autonomy. Workplace incivility can negatively affect nurses, hospitals and patients. Plentiful evidence documents that nurses working in better nurse work environments have improved job and health outcomes. There is minimal knowledge about how nurse coworker incivility relates to the United States nurse work environment. Quantitative, cross-sectional. Data were collected through online surveys of registered nurses in a southwestern United States health system. The survey content included the National Quality Forum-endorsed Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index and the Workplace Incivility Scale. Data analyses were descriptive and correlational. Mean levels of incivility were low in this sample of 233 staff nurses. Incivility occurred 'sporadically' (mean = 0.58; range 0.00-5.29). The nurse work environment was rated highly (mean = 3.10; range of 1.00-4.00). The nurse work environment was significantly inversely associated with coworker incivility. The nurse manager qualities were the principal factor of the nurse work environment associated with incivility. Supportive nurse managers reduce coworker incivility. Nurse managers can shape nurse work environments to prevent nurse incivility. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors predicting quality of work life among nurses in tertiary-level hospitals, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Akter, N; Akkadechanunt, T; Chontawan, R; Klunklin, A

2018-06-01

This study examined the level of quality of work life and predictability of years of education, monthly income, years of experience, job stress, organizational commitment and work environment on quality of work life among nurses in tertiary-level hospitals in the People's Republic of Bangladesh. There is an acute shortage of nurses worldwide including Bangladesh. Quality of work life is important for quality of patient care and nurse retention. Nurses in Bangladesh are fighting to provide quality care for emerging health problems for the achievement of sustainable development goals. We collected data from 288 randomly selected registered nurses, from six tertiary-level hospitals. All nurses were requested to fill questionnaire consisted of Demographic Data Sheet, Quality of Nursing Work Life Survey, Expanded Nursing Stress Scale, Questionnaire of Organizational Commitment and Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The quality of work life as perceived by nurses in Bangladesh was at moderate level. Monthly income was found as the best predictor followed by work environment, organizational commitment and job stress. A higher monthly income helps nurses to fulfil their personal needs; positive work environment helps to provide quality care to the patients. Quality of work life and predictors measured by self-report only may not reflect the original picture of the quality of work life among nurses. Findings provide information for nursing and health policymakers to develop policies to improve quality of work life among nurses that can contribute to quality of nursing care. This includes the working environment, commitment to the organization and measures to reduce job stress. © 2017 International Council of Nurses.

The importance of leadership style and psychosocial work environment to staff-assessed quality of care: implications for home help services.

PubMed

Westerberg, Kristina; Tafvelin, Susanne

2014-09-01

Work in home help services is typically conducted by an assistant nurse or nursing aide in the home of an elderly person, and working conditions have been described as solitary with a high workload, little influence and lack of peer and leader support. Relations between leadership styles, psychosocial work environment and a number of positive and negative employee outcomes have been established in research, but the outcome in terms of quality of care has been addressed to a lesser extent. In the present study, we aimed to focus on working conditions in terms of leadership and the employee psychosocial work environment, and how these conditions are related to the quality of care. The hypothesis was that the relation between a transformational leadership style and quality of care is mediated through organisational and peer support, job control and workload. A cross-sectional survey design was used and a total of 469 questionnaires were distributed (March-April 2012) to assistant nurses in nine Swedish home help organisations, including six municipalities and one private organisation, representing both rural and urban areas (302 questionnaires were returned, yielding a 65% response rate). The results showed that our hypothesis was supported and, when indirect effects were also taken into consideration, there was no direct effect of leadership style on quality of care. The mediated model explained 51% of the variance in quality of care. These results indicate that leadership style is important not only to employee outcomes in home help services but is also indirectly related to quality of care as assessed by staff members. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of a performance and quality improvement intervention on the work environment in HIV-related care: a quasi-experimental evaluation in Zambia.

PubMed

Bazant, Eva; Sarkar, Supriya; Banda, Joseph; Kanjipite, Webby; Reinhardt, Stephanie; Shasulwe, Hildah; Mulilo, Joyce Monica Chongo; Kim, Young Mi

2014-12-20

Human resource shortages and reforms in HIV-related care make it challenging for frontline health care providers in southern Africa to deliver high-quality services. At health facilities of the Zambian Defence Forces, a performance and quality improvement approach was implemented to improve HIV-related care and was evaluated in 2010/2011. Changes in providers' work environment and perceived quality of HIV-related care were assessed to complement data of provider performance. The intervention involved on-site training, supportive supervision, and action planning focusing on detailed service delivery standards. The quasi-experimental evaluation collected pre- and post-intervention data from eight intervention and comparison facilities matched on defence force branch and baseline client volume. Overall, 101 providers responded to a 24-item questionnaire on the work environment, covering topics of drugs, supplies, and equipment; training, feedback, and supervision; compensation; staffing; safety; fulfilment; and HIV services quality. In bivariate analysis and multivariate analyses, we assessed changes within each study group and between the two groups. In the bivariate analysis, the intervention group providers reported improvements in the work environment on adequacy of equipment, feeling safe from harm, confidence in clinical skills, and reduced isolation, while the comparison group reported worsening of the work environment on supplies, training, safety, and departmental morale.In the multivariate analysis, the intervention group's improvement and the comparison group's decline were significant on perceived adequacy of drugs, supplies, and equipment; constructive feedback received from supervisor and co-workers; and feeling safe from physical harm (all P <0.01, except P <0.04 for equipment). Further, the item "provider lacks confidence in some clinical skills" declined in the intervention group but increased in the comparison group (P = -0.005). In multivariate

Work environment, overtime and sleep among offshore personnel.

PubMed

Parkes, Katharine R

2017-02-01

Personnel working on North Sea oil/gas installations are exposed to remote and potentially hazardous environments, and to extended work schedules (typically, 14×12h shifts). Moreover, overtime (additional to the standard 84-h week) is not uncommon among offshore personnel. Evidence from onshore research suggests that long work hours and adverse environmental characteristics are associated with sleep impairments, and consequently with health and safety risks, including accidents and injuries. However, little is known about the extent to which long hours and a demanding work environment combine synergistically in relation to sleep. The present study sought to address this issue, using survey data collected from offshore day-shift personnel (N=551). The multivariate analysis examined the additive and interactive effects of overtime and measures of the psychosocial/physical work environment (job demands, job control, supervisor support, and physical stressors) as predictors of sleep outcomes during offshore work weeks. Control variables, including age and sleep during leave weeks, were also included in the analysis model. Sleep duration and quality were significantly impaired among those who worked overtime (54% of the participants) relative to those who worked only 12-h shifts. A linear relationship was found between long overtime hours and short sleep duration; personnel who worked >33h/week overtime reported <6h/day sleep. Significant interactions were also found; sleep duration was negatively related to job demands, and positively related to supervisor support, only among personnel who worked overtime. Poor sleep quality was predicted by the additive effects of overtime, low support and an adverse physical environment. These findings highlight the need to further examine the potential health and safety consequences of impaired sleep associated with high overtime rates offshore, and to identify the extent to which adverse effects of overtime can be mitigated by

Quality of life of patients with asthma related to damp and moldy work environments.

PubMed

Karvala, Kirsi; Uitti, Jukka; Luukkonen, Ritva; Nordman, Henrik

2013-01-01

Long-term outcomes of asthma related to exposure to workplace dampness are not well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of patients with asthma related to damp and moldy workplaces and characterize factors influencing QOL. Using a questionnaire, we followed 1267 patients previously examined for suspected occupational respiratory disease related to exposure to damp and moldy indoor environments. In addition to demographic and other background data, the questionnaire included sections on current employment status, QOL, anxiety and depression, somatization, hypochondria, and asthma medication. We compared the QOL of patients with occupational asthma (OA) with that of patients with work-exacerbated asthma (WEA) or symptoms without asthma. Impaired QOL was found among patients diagnosed with OA when they were compared with patients in corresponding environments with WEA or symptoms only. Not working and greater use of asthma medication were major determinants of worse QOL. Psychological factors did not explain the differences between the groups. OA induced by exposure to workplace moisture and molds is associated with QOL deterioration. The impairment is related to being unemployed (due to disability, retirement, job loss or other reasons) and the need for medication.

Work-related quality of life of Ugandan healthcare workers.

PubMed

Opollo, J G; Gray, J; Spies, L A

2014-03-01

To describe perceived work-related quality of life of Ugandan healthcare workers. A secondary aim was to seek participant input on ways to improve work environments. Poor patient outcomes, decreased employee motivation and decisions to leave the organization have been linked to poor work conditions. Interventions to correct healthcare worker shortage in developing countries require information about work quality of life. Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in health and educational settings in Uganda in July 2011. Participants completed the Biographical Information Scale demographic questionnaire and the validated 24-item Work-Related Quality of Life scale. Sample included 146 healthcare workers employed in various settings. Participants reported poorer quality of work life on the work conditions, control at work and home-work interface subscales. Participants perceived stress at work to be low and experienced higher job career satisfaction. There was a significant relationship between work-related quality of life, gender and hours worked. Participants' suggestions to improve work life ranged from simple no-cost suggestions to more complex system level interventions. Work-related quality of life was low in this convenience sample. Perceived stress at work was lower than expected, but may have been due to nurses' expectations of a normal work assignment. Predominantly women, the participants had significant caregiving responsibilities. Nurses must acquire a seat at the table where crucial decisions about nursing and its future are made. By advancing leadership skills, nurses can effectively advocate for organizational changes that address broad factors related to increasing job satisfaction, and retaining and attracting nurses. Nurses can influence work quality of life individually and collectively by identifying workplace concerns, demanding safe work environments, fostering teamwork and enhancing professional growth. © 2014 International Council of Nurses.

The relationship between nurse practice environment, nurse work characteristics, burnout and job outcome and quality of nursing care: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Van Bogaert, Peter; Kowalski, Christoph; Weeks, Susan Mace; Van Heusden, Danny; Clarke, Sean P

2013-12-01

To explore the mechanisms through which nurse practice environment dimensions are associated with job outcomes and nurse-assessed quality of care. Mediating variables tested included nurse work characteristics of workload, social capital, decision latitude, as well as burnout dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Acute care hospitals face daily challenges to their efforts to achieve nurse workforce stability, safety, and quality of care. A body of knowledge shows a favourably rated nurse practice environment as an important condition for better nurse and patient outcome variables; however, further research initiatives are imperative for a clear understanding to support and guide the practice community. Cross-sectional survey. Grounded on previous empirical findings, a structural equation model designed with valid measurement instruments was tested. The study population was registered acute care nurses (N=1201) in two independent hospitals and one hospital group with six hospitals in Belgium. Nurse practice environment dimensions predicted job outcome variables and nurse ratings of quality of care. Analyses were consistent with features of nurses' work characteristics including perceived workload, decision latitude, and social capital, as well as three dimension of burnout playing mediating roles between nurse practice environment and outcomes. A revised model adjusted using various fit measures explained 52% and 47% of job outcomes and nurse-assessed quality of care, respectively. The study refines understanding of the relationship between aspects of nursing practice in order to achieve favourable nursing outcomes and offers important concepts for managers to track in their daily work. The findings of this study indicate that it is important for clinicians and leaders to consider how nurses are involved in decision-making about care processes and tracking outcomes of care and whether they are able to work with

Another link to improving the working environment in acute care hospitals: registered nurses' spirit at work.

PubMed

Urban, Ann-Marie; Wagner, Joan I

2013-12-01

Hospitals are situated within historical and socio-political contexts; these influence the provision of patient care and the work of registered nurses (RNs). Since the early 1990s, restructuring and the increasing pressure to save money and improve efficiency have plagued acute care hospitals. These changes have affected both the work environment and the work of nurses. After recognizing this impact, healthcare leaders have dedicated many efforts to improving the work environment in hospitals. Admirable in their intent, these initiatives have made little change for RNs and their work environment, and thus, an opportunity exists for other efforts. Research indicates that spirit at work (SAW) not only improves the work environment but also strengthens the nurse's power to improve patient outcomes and contribute to a high-quality workplace. In this paper, we present findings from our research that suggest SAW be considered an important component in improving the work environment in acute care hospitals.

Nursing practice environment, quality of care, and morale of hospital nurses in Japan.

PubMed

Anzai, Eriko; Douglas, Clint; Bonner, Ann

2014-06-01

The purpose of this study was to describe Japanese hospital nurses' perceptions of the nursing practice environment and examine its association with nurse-reported ability to provide quality nursing care, quality of patient care, and ward morale. A cross-sectional survey design was used including 223 nurses working in 12 acute inpatient wards in a large Japanese teaching hospital. Nurses rated their work environment favorably overall using the Japanese version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Subscale scores indicated high perceptions of physician relations and quality of nursing management, but lower scores for staffing and resources. Ward nurse managers generally rated the practice environment more positively than staff nurses except for staffing and resources. Regression analyses found the practice environment was a significant predictor of quality of patient care and ward morale, whereas perceived ability to provide quality nursing care was most strongly associated with years of clinical experience. These findings support interventions to improve the nursing practice environment, particularly staffing and resource adequacy, to enhance quality of care and ward morale in Japan. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Providing a healthy work environment for nurses: the influence on retention.

PubMed

Cohen, Jayne; Stuenkel, Diane; Nguyen, Quyen

2009-01-01

Differences in registered nurses' (RNs) perceptions of their work environment were measured with the Insel and Moos' Work Environment Scale to identify factors in the work environment that may influence retention. Statistically significant differences for perceptions of supervisor support and innovation were found between those RNs who left their unit or hospital during a 24-month period and those who stayed. Implementing strategies to promote retention of RNs to ensure safe, quality patient care is essential.

The nursing work environment and quality of care: A cross-sectional study using the Essentials of Magnetism II Scale in England.

PubMed

Oshodi, Titilayo O; Crockett, Rachel; Bruneau, Benjamin; West, Elizabeth

2017-09-01

To explore the structure of the Essentials of Magnetism II (EOMII) scale using data from nurses working in England; and to describe the impact of different aspects of the nursing work environment on nurse-assessed care quality (NACQ). The EOMII Scale was developed in the United States to measure nursing work environments. It has been widely used in the United States and in a number of other countries, but has not yet been used in the UK. Cross-sectional study. Registered nurses (n = 247) providing direct patient care in two National Health Service hospitals in England completed the EOMII scale and a single-item measuring NACQ. Principal components analysis was used to assess the structure of the scale. Correlation and regression analyses were used to describe the relationships between factors and NACQ. A solution with explanatory variance of 45.25% was identified. Forty items loaded on five factors, with satisfactory consistency: (i) ward manager support; (ii) working as a team; (iii) concern for patients; (iv) organisational autonomy; and (v) constraints on nursing practice. While in univariate analyses, each of the factors was significantly associated with NACQ, in multivariate analyses, the relationship between organisational autonomy and NACQ no longer reached significance. However, a multiple mediation model indicated that the effect of organisational autonomy on NACQ was mediated by nurse manager support, working as a team and concern for patients but not constraints on nursing practice. Subscales of the EOMII identified in an English sample of nurses measured important aspects of the nursing work environment, each of which is related to NACQ. The EOMII could be a very useful tool for measuring aspects of the nursing work environment in the English Trusts particularly in relation to the quality of care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Improving work environments in health care: test of a theoretical framework.

PubMed

Rathert, Cheryl; Ishqaidef, Ghadir; May, Douglas R

2009-01-01

In light of high levels of staff turnover and variability in the quality of health care, much attention is currently being paid to the health care work environment and how it potentially relates to staff, patient, and organizational outcomes. Although some attention has been paid to staffing variables, more attention must be paid to improving the work environment for patient care. The purpose of this study was to empirically explore a theoretical model linking the work environment in the health care setting and how it might relate to work engagement, organizational commitment, and patient safety. This study also explored how the work environment influences staff psychological safety, which has been show to influence several variables important in health care. Clinical care providers at a large metropolitan hospital were surveyed using a mail methodology. The overall response rate was 42%. This study analyzed perceptions of staff who provided direct care to patients. Using structural equation modeling, we found that different dimensions of the work environment were related to different outcome variables. For example, a climate for continuous quality improvement was positively related to organizational commitment and patient safety, and psychological safety partially mediated these relationships. Patient-centered care was positively related to commitment but negatively related to engagement. Health care managers need to examine how organizational policies and practices are translated into the work environment and how these influence practices on the front lines of care. It appears that care provider perceptions of their work environments may be useful to consider for improvement efforts.

Contributing influences of work environment on sleep quantity and quality of nursing assistants in long-term care facilities: A cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yuan; Punnett, Laura; McEnany, Geoffry Phillips; Gore, Rebecca

2018-01-01

The effect of shift work on nurses’ sleep is well-studied, but there are other challenging aspects of health care work that might also affect the sleep of direct caregivers. This study examined the influence of the long-term care work environment on sleep quantity and quality of nursing assistants. A cross-sectional survey collected data from 650 nursing assistants in 15 long-term care facilities; 46% reported short sleep duration and 23% reported poor sleep quality. A simple additive index of the number of beneficial work features (up to 7) was constructed for analysis with Poisson regression. With each unit increase of beneficial work features, nursing assistants were 7% less likely to report short sleep duration and 17% less likely to report poor sleep quality. These results suggest that effective workplace interventions should address a variety of work stressors, not only work schedule arrangements, in order to improve nursing assistants’ sleep health. PMID:26384714

Electrosurgical Smoke: Ultrafine Particle Measurements and Work Environment Quality in Different Operating Theatres.

PubMed

Romano, Francesco; Gustén, Jan; De Antonellis, Stefano; Joppolo, Cesare M

2017-01-30

Air cleanliness in operating theatres (OTs) is an important factor for preserving the health of both the patient and the medical staff. Particle contamination in OTs depends mainly on the surgery process, ventilation principle, personnel clothing systems and working routines. In many open surgical operations, electrosurgical tools (ESTs) are used for tissue cauterization. ESTs generate a significant airborne contamination, as surgical smoke. Surgical smoke is a work environment quality problem. Ordinary surgical masks and OT ventilation systems are inadequate to control this problem. This research work is based on numerous monitoring campaigns of ultrafine particle concentrations in OTs, equipped with upward displacement ventilation or with a downward unidirectional airflow system. Measurements performed during ten real surgeries highlight that the use of ESTs generates a quite sharp and relevant increase of particle concentration in the surgical area as well within the entire OT area. The measured contamination level in the OTs are linked to surgical operation, ventilation principle, and ESTs used. A better knowledge of airborne contamination is crucial for limiting the personnel's exposure to surgical smoke. Research results highlight that downward unidirectional OTs can give better conditions for adequate ventilation and contaminant removal performances than OTs equipped with upward displacement ventilation systems.

Electrosurgical Smoke: Ultrafine Particle Measurements and Work Environment Quality in Different Operating Theatres

PubMed Central

Romano, Francesco; Gustén, Jan; De Antonellis, Stefano; Joppolo, Cesare M.

2017-01-01

Air cleanliness in operating theatres (OTs) is an important factor for preserving the health of both the patient and the medical staff. Particle contamination in OTs depends mainly on the surgery process, ventilation principle, personnel clothing systems and working routines. In many open surgical operations, electrosurgical tools (ESTs) are used for tissue cauterization. ESTs generate a significant airborne contamination, as surgical smoke. Surgical smoke is a work environment quality problem. Ordinary surgical masks and OT ventilation systems are inadequate to control this problem. This research work is based on numerous monitoring campaigns of ultrafine particle concentrations in OTs, equipped with upward displacement ventilation or with a downward unidirectional airflow system. Measurements performed during ten real surgeries highlight that the use of ESTs generates a quite sharp and relevant increase of particle concentration in the surgical area as well within the entire OT area. The measured contamination level in the OTs are linked to surgical operation, ventilation principle, and ESTs used. A better knowledge of airborne contamination is crucial for limiting the personnel’s exposure to surgical smoke. Research results highlight that downward unidirectional OTs can give better conditions for adequate ventilation and contaminant removal performances than OTs equipped with upward displacement ventilation systems. PMID:28146089

Hospital Magnet Status, Unit Work Environment, and Pressure Ulcers.

PubMed

Ma, Chenjuan; Park, Shin Hye

2015-11-01

To identify how organizational nursing factors at different structural levels (i.e., unit-level work environment and hospital Magnet status) are associated with hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) in U.S. acute care hospitals. A cross-sectional observational study used data from the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators®. Responses from 33,845 registered nurses (RNs) were used to measure unit work environments. The unit of analysis was the nursing unit, and there were 1,381 units in 373 hospitals in the United States. Unit work environment was measured by the Practice Environment Scale of Nurse Working Index (PES-NWI). Multilevel logistic regressions were used to estimate the effects of unit work environment and hospital Magnet status on HAPUs. All models were controlled for hospital and unit characteristics when considering clustering of units within hospitals. Magnet hospital units had 21% lower odds of having an HAPU than non-Magnet hospital units (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64-0.98). With one unit increase of the PES-NWI score, units had 29% lower odds of having an HAPU (95% CI, 0.55-0.91). When including both hospital Magnet status and unit work environment in the model, hospital Magnet status no longer had a significant effect on HAPUs (odds ratio [OR] = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.66-1.02), whereas the significant effect of unit work environment persisted (OR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.56-0.93). Both hospital and unit environments were significantly associated with HAPUs, and the unit-level work environment can be more influential in reducing HAPUs. Investment in the nurse work environments at both the hospital level and unit level has the potential to reduce HAPUs; and additional to hospital-level initiatives (e.g., Magnet recognition program), efforts targeting on-unit work environments deserve more attention. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Association of the Nurse Work Environment, Collective Efficacy, and Missed Care.

PubMed

Smith, Jessica G; Morin, Karen H; Wallace, Leigh E; Lake, Eileen T

2018-06-01

Missed nursing care is a significant threat to quality patient care. Promoting collective efficacy within nurse work environments could decrease missed care. The purpose was to understand how missed care is associated with nurse work environments and collective efficacy of hospital staff nurses. A cross-sectional, convenience sample was obtained through online surveys from registered nurses working at five southwestern U.S. hospitals. Descriptive, correlational, regression, and path analyses were conducted ( N = 233). The percentage of nurses who reported that at least one care activity was missed frequently or always was 94%. Mouth care (36.0% of nurses) and ambulation (35.3%) were missed frequently or always. Nurse work environments and collective efficacy were moderately, positively correlated. Nurse work environments and collective efficacy were associated with less missed care (χ 2 = 10.714, p = .0054). Fostering collective efficacy in the nurse work environment could reduce missed care and improve patient outcomes.

Quality assessment of urban environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovsiannikova, T. Y.; Nikolaenko, M. N.

2015-01-01

This paper is dedicated to the research applicability of quality management problems of construction products. It is offered to expand quality management borders in construction, transferring its principles to urban systems as economic systems of higher level, which qualitative characteristics are substantially defined by quality of construction product. Buildings and structures form spatial-material basis of cities and the most important component of life sphere - urban environment. Authors justify the need for the assessment of urban environment quality as an important factor of social welfare and life quality in urban areas. The authors suggest definition of a term "urban environment". The methodology of quality assessment of urban environment is based on integrated approach which includes the system analysis of all factors and application of both quantitative methods of assessment (calculation of particular and integrated indicators) and qualitative methods (expert estimates and surveys). The authors propose the system of indicators, characterizing quality of the urban environment. This indicators fall into four classes. The authors show the methodology of their definition. The paper presents results of quality assessment of urban environment for several Siberian regions and comparative analysis of these results.

Authentic leaders creating healthy work environments for nursing practice.

PubMed

Shirey, Maria R

2006-05-01

Implementation of authentic leadership can affect not only the nursing workforce and the profession but the healthcare delivery system and society as a whole. Creating a healthy work environment for nursing practice is crucial to maintain an adequate nursing workforce; the stressful nature of the profession often leads to burnout, disability, and high absenteeism and ultimately contributes to the escalating shortage of nurses. Leaders play a pivotal role in retention of nurses by shaping the healthcare practice environment to produce quality outcomes for staff nurses and patients. Few guidelines are available, however, for creating and sustaining the critical elements of a healthy work environment. In 2005, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses released a landmark publication specifying 6 standards (skilled communication, true collaboration, effective decision making, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition, and authentic leadership) necessary to establish and sustain healthy work environments in healthcare. Authentic leadership was described as the "glue" needed to hold together a healthy work environment. Now, the roles and relationships of authentic leaders in the healthy work environment are clarified as follows: An expanded definition of authentic leadership and its attributes (eg, genuineness, trustworthiness, reliability, compassion, and believability) is presented. Mechanisms by which authentic leaders can create healthy work environments for practice (eg, engaging employees in the work environment to promote positive behaviors) are described. A practical guide on how to become an authentic leader is advanced. A research agenda to advance the study of authentic leadership in nursing practice through collaboration between nursing and business is proposed.

Analysis of indoor environmental quality influence toward occupants' work performance in Kompleks Eureka, USM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainon, Mohamad Rizal; Baharum, Faizal; Seng, Loh Yong

2016-08-01

The indoor environment much more important for people health and comfort than the outdoor environment. This scenario would make the performance of occupants at their work more important than energy costs in the building. So, this task is to upgrade indoor environmental quality conditions for comfort and work performance of occupants in Kompleks Eureka, USM while conserving energy of the building.. Recent studies have shown an important impact of the indoor thermal environment on occupants' work performance. Also studies on occupants medical leave show a very high loss of work time and working performance, which have important economical consequences for companies. The paper will mainly dealing with the indoor environmental qualities, such as thermal comfort level, air quality, lighting, and acoustic quality. The studies before showing that comfortable room temperatures, increased air ventilation above normal recommendation, comfortable acoustic surrounding will increases the work performance of occupants in Kompleks Eureka, USM.

Nursing leadership and management effects work environments.

PubMed

Tomey, Ann Marriner

2009-01-01

The aim of this literature search was to identify recent research related to nursing leadership and management effects on work environment using the 14 forces of magnetism. This article gives some historical perspective from the original 1983 American Academy of Nursing study through to the 2002 McClure and Hinshaw update to 2009 publications. Research publications were given a priority for references. The 14 forces of magnetism as identified by Unden and Monarch were: '1. Quality of leadership..., 2. Organizational structure..., 3. Management style..., 4. Personnel policies and programs..., 5. Professional models of care..., 6. Quality of care..., 7 Quality improvement..., 8. Consultation and resources..., 9. Autonomy..., 10. Community and the hospital..., 11. Nurse as teacher..., 12. Image of nursing..., 13. Interdisciplinary relationships... and 14. Professional development....'. Correlations have been found among positive workplace management initiatives, style of transformational leadership and participative management; patient-to-nurse ratios; education levels of nurses; quality of patient care, patient satisfaction, employee health and well-being programmes; nurse satisfaction and retention of nurses; healthy workplace environments and healthy patients and personnel. This article identifies some of the research that provides evidence for evidence-based nursing management and leadership practice.

Women's perceived work environment after stress-related rehabilitation: experiences from the ReDO project.

PubMed

Wästberg, Birgitta A; Erlandsson, Lena-Karin; Eklund, Mona

2016-01-01

The study aimed to investigate (a) if women's perceptions of their work environment changed during a 16-week rehabilitation period and at a 12-month follow-up; (b) whether such changes were related to outcomes in terms of return to work, well-being and valued occupations. Eighty-four gainfully employed women on sick-leave due to stress-related disorders responded to instruments assessing perceptions of the work environment, well-being (self-esteem, self-mastery, quality of life, perceived stress, self-rated health) and perceived occupational value. Data about return to work were collected from registers. Non-parametric statistics were used. The increase in the women's ratings of their work environment was non-significant between baseline and completed rehabilitation but was statistically significant between baseline and the 12-month follow-up. No relationships were found between changes in perceptions of the work environment and outcomes after the rehabilitation. At the follow-up, however, there were associations between perceived work environment changes in a positive direction and return to work; improved self-esteem, self-mastery, quality of life, perceived occupational value and self-rated health; and reduced stress. It seems important to consider the work environment in rehabilitation for stress-related problems, and a follow-up appears warranted to detect changes and associations not visible immediately after rehabilitation. Work environment Perceptions of the work environment seem important for return to work, although other factors are likely to contribute as well. Perceptions of the work environment are associated with several aspects of well-being. When developing rehabilitation interventions a focus on the clients' perceptions of their work environment seems vital.

Person-centered work environments, psychological safety, and positive affect in healthcare: a theoretical framework.

PubMed

Rathert, Cheryl; May, Douglas R

2008-01-01

We propose that in order to systematically improve healthcare quality, healthcare organizations (HCOs) need work environments that are person-centered: environments that support the careprovider as well as the patient. We further argue that HCOs have a moral imperative to provide a workplace where professional care standards can be achieved. We draw upon a large body of research from several disciplines to propose and articulate a theoretical framework that explains how the work environment should be related to the well-being of patients and careproviders, that is, the potential mediating mechanisms. Person-centered work environments include: 1. Climates for patient-centered care. 2. Climates for quality improvement. 3. Benevolent ethical climates. Such a work environment should support the provision of patient-centered care, and should lead to positive psychological states for careproviders, including psychological safety and positive affect. The model contributes to theory by specifying relationships between important organizational variables. The model can potentially contribute to practice by linking specific work environment attributes to outcomes for careproviders and patients.

Work addiction and quality of life: a study with physicians

PubMed Central

de Azevedo, Walter Fernandes; Mathias, Lígia Andrade da Silva Telles

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the quality of life of physicians and investigate to what extent it is affected by work addiction. Methods This is an exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional study, conducted with 1,110 physicians. For data collection, we used a questionnaire with sociodemographic information, the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF, and the Work Addiction Scale. Results Most physicians presented high quality of life. Female participants presented lower quality of life in the domains psychologic, environment and general (p<0.05). Quality of life was negatively correlated with the number of shifts (p<0.005). The higher the addiction to work, the lower the quality of life. Conclusion The research allowed understanding the implications of work addiction in the quality of life. Further studies are required to support the development of strategies that improve health conditions and quality of life of medical professionals. PMID:28767908

The human factors of quality and QA in R D environments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hill, S.G.

1990-01-01

Achieving quality is a human activity. It is therefore important to consider the human in the design, development and evaluation of work processes and environments in an effort to enhance human performance and minimize error. It is also important to allow for individual differences when considering human factors issues. Human Factors is the field of study which can provide information on integrating the human into the system. Human factors and quality are related for the customer of R D work, R D personnel who perform the work, and the quality professional who overviews the process of quality in the work.more » 18 refs., 1 fig.« less

Sleep quality and quality of life in female shift-working nurses.

PubMed

Shao, Ming-Fen; Chou, Yu-Ching; Yeh, Mei-Yu; Tzeng, Wen-Chii

2010-07-01

This paper is a report of a study of the factors that influence sleep quality and quality of life among shift-working nurses and the relationship between their sleep quality and quality of life. Although shift-working nurses strive to adapt their life schedules to shift rotations, they tend to suffer from severe sleep disturbances and increased rates of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, digestive disease and irregular menstrual cycles. Poor sleep is also associated with medical errors and occupational injuries. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2008 with a convenience sample of 435 female nurses from five regional hospitals in Taiwan. Data were collected on sleep quality and quality of life using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-BREF Taiwan version respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, analysis of variance and Pearson correlations. The majority of female shift workers (57%) had global sleep-quality scores > or = 5, indicating poor sleep and all mean scores in four domains of the quality-of-life measure were statistically significantly lower than those of females in Taiwan's general population. Scores for poor sleep quality and quality of life were related to premenstrual dysphoria, occupational injury, illness and medication use. In addition, the associations between scores on the sleep-quality and quality-of-life scales were statistically significantly inversely correlated. Advice should be included in both undergraduate programmes and continuing education to help nurses to recognize and improve their own sleep quality and life quality managers should create a supportive environment to encourage shift-working nurses to engage in healthy behaviours.

Do working environment interventions reach shift workers?

PubMed

Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Jørgensen, Marie Birk; Garde, Anne Helene; Clausen, Thomas

2016-01-01

Shift workers are exposed to more physical and psychosocial stressors in the working environment as compared to day workers. Despite the need for targeted prevention, it is likely that workplace interventions less frequently reach shift workers. The aim was therefore to investigate whether the reach of workplace interventions varied between shift workers and day workers and whether such differences could be explained by the quality of leadership exhibited at different times of the day. We used questionnaire data from 5361 female care workers in the Danish eldercare sector. The questions concerned usual working hours, quality of leadership, and self-reported implementation of workplace activities aimed at stress reduction, reorganization of the working hours, and participation in improvements of working procedures or qualifications. Compared with day workers, shift workers were less likely to be reached by workplace interventions. For example, night workers less frequently reported that they had got more flexibility (OR 0.5; 95 % CI 0.3-0.7) or that they had participated in improvements of the working procedures (OR 0.6; 95 % CI 0.5-0.8). Quality of leadership to some extent explained the lack of reach of interventions especially among fixed evening workers. In the light of the evidence of shift workers' stressful working conditions, we suggest that future studies focus on the generalizability of results of the present study and on how to reach this group and meet their needs when designing and implementing workplace interventions.

Work stress, burnout, and perceived quality of care: a cross-sectional study among hospital pediatricians.

PubMed

Weigl, M; Schneider, A; Hoffmann, F; Angerer, P

2015-09-01

Poor hospital work environments affect physicians' work stress. With a focus on hospital pediatricians, we sought to investigate associations between work stress, burnout, and quality of care. A cross-sectional study was conducted in N = 96 pediatricians of a German academic children's hospital (response rate = 73.8 %). All variables were assessed with standardized questionnaires. Multivariate regression analyses were applied to investigate associations after adjusting for potential confounders. Critically high work stress (effort/reward ratio, ERR > 1.0) was reported by N = 25 (28.4 %) participants. Pediatricians in inpatient wards had significantly more work stress than their colleagues in intensive care units and outpatient wards; 10.2 % of surveyed pediatricians reported critically high burnout. Again, inpatient ward staff reported significantly increased emotional exhaustion. After controlling for several confounders, we found that pediatricians with high work stress and emotional exhaustion reported reduced quality of care. Mediation analyses revealed that especially pediatricians' emotional exhaustion partially mediated the effect of work stress on quality of care. Results demonstrate close relationships between increased work stress and burnout as well as diminished quality of care. High work stress environments in pediatric care influence mental health of pediatricians as well as quality of patient care. • The quality of pediatricians' work environment in the hospital is associated with their work stress and burnout. • The consequences of pediatricians' work life for the quality of care need to be addressed in order to inform interventions to improve work life and care quality. • Our study shows associations between increased work stress and burnout with mitigated quality of care. • Beyond indirect effects of work stress through emotional exhaustion on quality of care we also observed direct detrimental effects of pediatricians

The perceived importance and the presence of creative potential in the health professional's work environment.

PubMed

Lukersmith, Sue; Burgess-Limerick, Robin

2013-01-01

The value of creative employees to an organisation's growth and innovative development, productivity, quality and sustainability is well established. This study examined the perceived relationship between creativity and work environment factors of 361 practicing health professionals, and whether these factors were present (realised) in their work environment. Job design (challenges, team work, task rotation, autonomy) and leadership (coaching supervisor, time for thinking, creative goals, recognition and incentives for creative ideas and results) were perceived as the most important factors for stimulating creativity. There was room for improvement of these in the work environment. Many aspects of the physical work environment were less important. Public health sector employers and organisations should adopt sustainable strategies which target the important work environment factors to support employee creativity and so enhance service quality, productivity, performance and growth. Implications of the results for ergonomists and workplace managers are discussed with a participatory ergonomics approach recommended. Creative employees are important to an organisation's innovation, productivity and sustainability. The survey identified health professionals perceive a need to improve job design and leadership factors at work to enhance and support employee creativity. There are implications for organisations and ergonomists to investigate the creative potential of work environments.

Investigating nurses' quality of life and work-life balance statuses in Singapore.

PubMed

Kowitlawkul, Y; Yap, S F; Makabe, S; Chan, S; Takagai, J; Tam, W W S; Nurumal, M S

2018-04-06

To investigate the key determinants of nurses' quality of life and work-life balance statuses in a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Nurses' quality of life can directly and indirectly impact patients' safety and quality of care. Therefore, identifying key factors that influence nurses' quality of life is essential in the healthcare delivery system. A descriptive quantitative study design was adopted, and validated questionnaires were used. Data were collected in a period of 3 months (March to May 2014) at a 600-bed tertiary hospital in Singapore. One thousand and forty nurses participated in the study. Social support and sense of coherence were found to be significant predictors for high quality of life in all domains. Most nurses in this study spent more time on work than their private lives. However, there was no significant difference in job satisfaction among the four groups of nurses' proportions of percentages of actual time spent on work and private life. Cultivating social support from family, friends/colleagues and supervisors can help an individual cope with stress and enhance a nurse's quality of life. Even though nurses who spent more time at work were still satisfied with their job, they might need to be aware of their physical health and work environment. Nursing policy related to nurses' physical health and environment should be established. Health promotion programmes such as physical exercise and mindfulness interventions should be conducted to promote nurses' well-being and healthy workplace environments to enhance nurses' quality of life. © 2018 International Council of Nurses.

Correlation analysis between work-related musculoskeletal disorders and the nursing practice environment, quality of life, and social support in the nursing professionals

PubMed Central

Yan, Ping; Yang, Yi; Zhang, Li; Li, Fuye; Huang, Amei; Wang, Yanan; Dai, Yali; Yao, Hua

2018-01-01

Abstract We aim to analyze the correlated influential factors between work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and nursing practice environment and quality of life and social support. From January 2015 to October 2015, cluster sampling was performed on the nurses from 12 hospitals in the 6 areas in Xinjiang. The questionnaires including the modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Practice Environment Scale (PES), the Mos 36-item Short Form Health Survey, and Social Support Rating Scale were used to investigate. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influential factors of WMSDs. The total prevalence of WMSDs was 79.52% in the nurses ever since the working occupation, which was mainly involved waist (64.83%), neck (61.83%), and shoulder (52.36%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated age (≥26 years), working in the Department of Surgery, Department of Critical Care, Outpatient Department, and Department of Anesthesia, working duration of >40 hours per week were the risk factors of WMSDs in the nurses. The physiological function (PF), body pain, total healthy condition, adequate working force and financial support, and social support were the protective factors of WMSDs. The prevalence of WMSDs in the nurses in Xinjiang Autonomous Region was high. PF, bodily pain, total healthy condition, having adequate staff and support resources to provide quality patient care, and social support were the protective factors of WMSDs in the nurses. PMID:29489648

Correlation analysis between work-related musculoskeletal disorders and the nursing practice environment, quality of life, and social support in the nursing professionals.

PubMed

Yan, Ping; Yang, Yi; Zhang, Li; Li, Fuye; Huang, Amei; Wang, Yanan; Dai, Yali; Yao, Hua

2018-03-01

We aim to analyze the correlated influential factors between work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and nursing practice environment and quality of life and social support.From January 2015 to October 2015, cluster sampling was performed on the nurses from 12 hospitals in the 6 areas in Xinjiang. The questionnaires including the modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Practice Environment Scale (PES), the Mos 36-item Short Form Health Survey, and Social Support Rating Scale were used to investigate. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influential factors of WMSDs.The total prevalence of WMSDs was 79.52% in the nurses ever since the working occupation, which was mainly involved waist (64.83%), neck (61.83%), and shoulder (52.36%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated age (≥26 years), working in the Department of Surgery, Department of Critical Care, Outpatient Department, and Department of Anesthesia, working duration of >40 hours per week were the risk factors of WMSDs in the nurses. The physiological function (PF), body pain, total healthy condition, adequate working force and financial support, and social support were the protective factors of WMSDs.The prevalence of WMSDs in the nurses in Xinjiang Autonomous Region was high. PF, bodily pain, total healthy condition, having adequate staff and support resources to provide quality patient care, and social support were the protective factors of WMSDs in the nurses.

Building a healthy work environment: a nursing resource team perspective.

PubMed

Vaughan, Leslie; Slinger, Trisha

2013-01-01

Leadership and staff from the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) Nursing Resource Team (NRT), including members of their Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Council, attended the first Southern Ontario Nursing Resource Team Conference (SONRTC), held March 2012 in Toronto. The SONRTC highlighted healthy work environments (HWEs), noting vast differences among the province's various organizations. Conversely, CQI Council members anecdotally acknowledged similar inconsistencies in HWEs across the various inpatient departments at LHSC. In fact, the mobility of the NRT role allows these nurses to make an unbiased observation about the culture, behaviours and practices of specific units as well as cross-reference departments regarding HWEs. Studies have documented that HWEs have a direct impact on the quality of patient care. Furthermore, the literature supports a relationship between HWEs and nurse job satisfaction. Based on this heightened awareness, the NRT CQI Council aimed to investigate HWEs at LHSC. The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments was adapted in developing a survey for measuring HWEs based on the perceptions of NRT staff. Each of the departments was evaluated in terms of the following indicators: skilled communication, true collaboration, effective decision-making, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition and authentic leadership (AACN 2005). Ultimately, the Building a Healthy Work Environment: A Nursing Resource Team Perspective survey was employed with NRT nurses at LHSC, and data was collected for use by leadership and staff for creating HWE strategies aimed at improving the quality of patient care.

Transplant Nurses' Work Environment: A Cross-Sectional Multi-Center Study.

PubMed

Kugler, Christiane; Akca, Selda; Einhorn, Ina; Rebafka, Anne; Russell, Cynthia L

2016-09-01

BACKGROUND Numerically, nurses represent the largest healthcare profession, thus setting norms for the quality and safety of direct patient care. Evidence of a global shortage of nurses in all clinical practice settings across different healthcare systems and countries has been documented. The aims of the present study were: (1) to assess work environments in a sample of German transplant nurses, and (2) to compare their statements with a US-based sample. MATERIAL AND METHODS In a cross-sectional study, 181 transplant nurses from 16 German transplant centers provided information on their work environments. The translated version of the Job Design (JD) and Job Satisfaction (JS) survey showed satisfactory internal consistency for the JD (0.78) and JS (0.93) subscales. German nurses' work environments were compared with 331 transplant nurses from the US. RESULTS The majority of transplant nurses were female (81.8%), 55.4% were age 21-40 years, and 78.1% were employed full-time. German (versus US) transplant nurses reported their job design to be best for 'skill varieties' (p≤0.0002), and worst for 'autonomy' (p≤0.01). Job satisfaction was best with 'opportunities for autonomy and growth' (p≤0.0001), and 'pay and benefits' (p≤0.0001) was lowest. A higher professional degree (OR 1.57; p≤0.03; 95% CI 1.19-2.86), and longer time in transplant (OR 1.24; p≤0.001; 95% CI 1.11-1.38) showed a positive impact on German transplant nurses' perceptions of 'job satisfaction'. Nurses with time-dependent working contracts perceived more stress negatively affecting job satisfaction (OR 1.13; p≤0.009; 95% CI 1.02-12.82). CONCLUSIONS German specialty nurses working in the field of solid organ transplantation rate their work environments with respect to job design and job satisfaction as satisfactory. Institutions' investment into satisfactory nurse work environments and specializing nurses might increase the quality of care, thus improving patient outcomes.

[Association of occupational stress with quality of working life].

PubMed

Zhang, Qin; Lan, Ya-Jia; Chen, Hong-Mei

2011-07-01

To assess occupational stress and quality of working life (QWL) and their association in workers with different jobs. The Occupational Stress Inventory Revised Edition (OSI-R) and Quality of Working Life Scale (QWL7-32) were administered to 194 workers in the Liaohe Oilfield. The association between occupational stress and quality of working life was analysed by controlling job types and other confounding variables. Office workers had significantly lower scores in occupational role questionnaire (ORQ) and personal strain questionnaire (PSQ) and higher scores in personal resources questionnaire (PRQ) and QWL than physical laborers (P<0.05). The PSQ scores were positively correlated with the ORQ scores and negatively correlated with the PRQ scores. The QWL scores were negatively correlated with the ORQ and PSQ scores, and positively correlated with the PRQ scores (P<0.001). The QWL scores changed with job types. The QWL scores declined with the increase of stress levels (P<0.01). ORQ, role boundary (RB), role insufficiency (RI), physical environment (PE), PSQ, vocational strain (VS), interpersonal strain (IS) and PRQ had a significant impact on quality of working life (P<0.01). Occupational stress is associated with quality of working life. Quality of working life can be improved through control of occupational stress.

Ubiquitous Working: Do Work Versus Non-work Environments Affect Decision-Making and Concentration?

PubMed

Burmeister, Carolin P; Moskaliuk, Johannes; Cress, Ulrike

2018-01-01

New communication technologies and mobile devices have enabled knowledge workers to work independently of location and in more than one fixed environment (ubiquitous working). Previous research shows that physical environments can influence cognition and work performance. We manipulated environment (i.e., a virtual office as a typical work environment compared to a virtual garden as a non-work environment ) and time pressure (i.e., inducing time pressure vs. no time pressure ) in order to investigate whether the environment influences decision-making and concentration. N = 109 students participated in this laboratory experiment. We posited (a) that a work environment would activate a work-related schema which in turn would enhance concentration performance and make decisions more risky compared to non-work environments and (b) that the environmental effect is more pronounced if time pressure is present compared to conditions where no time pressure is present. We found modest hypothesis-confirming main effects of environment on decision-making and concentration but no interaction effect with time pressure. As we used an innovative methodology that entails several limitations, future research is needed to give insights into the process and to investigate whether results hold true for all types of work settings, work demands, or work activities.

The farrier's work environment.

PubMed

Löfqvist, Lotta; Pinzke, Stefan

2012-01-01

The horse industry in Sweden has rapidly expanded in recent years. This increasing number of horses implies a greater need for more farriers. Shoeing a horse is hard physical work, and includes awkward work postures and repetitive movements. It is well known that hard physical work increases the risk of injuries and musculoskeletal problems. The risk is especially high for musculoskeletal disorders when certain movements are constantly repeated. Heavy or repeated unilateral loads lead to considerable stress on the muscles, which can lead to rupture and fatigue that can cause long term problems. A case study showed that farriers worked 75% of their work time with their backs in bent positions (often more than 70 degrees). Farriers are also exposed to risk factors in their physical environment like dust, noise and poor lighting. Risk of kicks and bites, eye injuries and burns are other factors that make their work environment hazardous. There are only a few studies available that have documented the farriers' working environment and these are not of recent date. A US study from 1984 described kicks and bites from horses, metal splinters in the eyes, heat exhaustion and problematic postures to be perceived as the greatest risks in their work. The back, knees and wrists were the most exposed body regions. There is a need for more current and in-depth studies investigating the farriers' working conditions in order to gain more knowledge of their health and work environment. The aim of the present study is to investigate the physical health and work environment of farriers. The investigation will use questionnaires, work load measurements and workplace analysis. The results will serve as a base for improvements concerning the design of the workplace, equipment, tools and aids as well as supplying recommendations about physical exercise and the correct work technique, etc. The results are planned to be incorporated in the education of farriers.

Nursing unit teams matter: Impact of unit-level nurse practice environment, nurse work characteristics, and burnout on nurse reported job outcomes, and quality of care, and patient adverse events--a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Van Bogaert, Peter; Timmermans, Olaf; Weeks, Susan Mace; van Heusden, Danny; Wouters, Kristien; Franck, Erik

2014-08-01

To investigate the impact of nurse practice environment factors, nurse work characteristics, and burnout on nurse reported job outcomes, quality of care, and patient adverse events variables at the nursing unit level. Nurse practice environment studies show growing insights and knowledge about determining factors for nurse workforce stability, quality of care, and patient safety. Until now, international studies have primarily focused on variability at the hospital level; however, insights at the nursing unit level can reveal key factors in the nurse practice environment. A cross-sectional design with a survey. In a cross-sectional survey, a sample of 1108 nurses assigned to 96 nursing units completed a structured questionnaire composed of various validated instruments measuring nurse practice environment factors, nurse work characteristics, burnout, nurse reported job outcomes, quality of care, and patient adverse events. Associations between the variables were examined using multilevel modelling techniques. Various unit-level associations (simple models) were identified between nurse practice environment factors, nurse work characteristics, burnout dimensions, and nurse reported outcome variables. Multiple multilevel models showed various independent variables such as nursing management at the unit level, social capital, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization as important predictors of nurse reported outcome variables such job satisfaction, turnover intentions, quality of care (at the unit, the last shift, and in the hospital within the last year), patient and family complaints, patient and family verbal abuse, patient falls, nosocomial infections, and medications errors. Results suggested a stable nurse work force, with the capability to achieve superior quality and patient safety outcomes, is associated with unit-level favourable perceptions of nurse work environment factors, workload, decision latitude, and social capital, as well low levels of burnout

Assessing Quality of Working Life Among Malaysian Workers.

PubMed

Sulaiman, Nur Suffia; Choo, Wan Yuen; Mat Yassim, Abdul Rahim; Van Laar, Darren; Chinna, Karuthan; Majid, Hazreen Abdul

2015-11-01

The Work-Related Quality of Life Scale-2 (WRQLS-2) has been used to measure quality of working life (QOWL) in the United Kingdom. In this study, the scale was translated and normalized into Malay. The scale was translated using the back-translation method, pretesting, and pilot testing. It was conducted among health care and office workers. It was tested in 3 stages; confirmatory factor analysis at stages 1 and 3 and exploratory factor analysis at stage 2. The Malaysian WRQLS-2 had 5 factors: "General Well-Being," "Job and Career Satisfaction," "Employee Engagement," "Home-Work Interface," and "Stress at Work." The scale showed good convergent and construct validity and also reliability. Perception of good QOWL may differ because of cultural influences and varying work environments. The validated Malaysian WRQLS-2 can be used to determine the QOWL of Malaysian office and health care workers. © 2015 APJPH.

Effect assessment in work environment interventions: a methodological reflection.

PubMed

Neumann, W P; Eklund, J; Hansson, B; Lindbeck, L

2010-01-01

This paper addresses a number of issues for work environment intervention (WEI) researchers in light of the mixed results reported in the literature. If researchers emphasise study quality over intervention quality, reviews that exclude case studies with high quality and multifactorial interventions may be vulnerable to 'quality criteria selection bias'. Learning from 'failed' interventions is inhibited by both publication bias and reporting lengths that limit information on relevant contextual and implementation factors. The authors argue for the need to develop evaluation approaches consistent with the complexity of multifactorial WEIs that: a) are owned by and aimed at the whole organisation; and b) include intervention in early design stages where potential impact is highest. Context variety, complexity and instability in and around organisations suggest that attention might usefully shift from generalisable 'proof of effectiveness' to a more nuanced identification of intervention elements and the situations in which they are more likely to work as intended. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This paper considers ergonomics interventions from perspectives of what constitutes quality and 'proof". It points to limitations of traditional experimental intervention designs and argues that the complexity of organisational change, and the need for multifactorial interventions that reach deep into work processes for greater impact, should be recognised.

A narrative approach to understanding the nursing work environment in Canada.

PubMed

McGillis Hall, Linda; Kiesners, Diana

2005-12-01

Narrative interviews were conducted with hospital nurses participating in a research study designed to provide support and assistance to hospitals as they addressed work life issues for nurses in an attempt to create quality work environments. The eight interviews were conducted in a sample of Canadian hospitals and generated themes relating to an imbalance between the effort that nurses put into their work and rewards attained from it. Seigrist's ((1996) Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 1, 27-41, (2002) In: P.L. Perrewe & D.G. Ganster (Eds.), Historical perspectives on stress and health. Research in Occupational Stress and Well Being (vol. 2). Boston, MA: Jai Press) effort-reward imbalance model was used to frame this study. The nurses' narratives suggest that multiple factors constitute the nurses' work environment and their experiences and perceptions of it. Issues which surfaced repeatedly in the interviews related to changing needs of hospitalized patients in today's health care system and the associated workload, the widespread shortage of nurses, and the imbalance this creates for nursing work. A crucial finding is the extent to which the nurse is impacted by the adequacy of care they are able to provide. These narratives outline the tremendous burden of guilt and the overcommitment that nurses bear when factors in the work environment prevent them from providing complete, quality care. Nurses are experiencing frustration and stress that is impacting their worklife, family and home life, personal health, and possibly patient outcomes.

Quality of Work Life - A Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mily Velayudhan, T. K., Dr.; Yameni, M. D.

2017-05-01

The main objective or the purpose of this research is to investigate and identify the significance of work environment towards the performance and also to study the effectiveness of the QWL in the organization. Methods/Analysis:In order to meet the stated objectives a structured questionnaire was framed and data was collected using convenience sampling from 123 employees of the steel manufacturing organization in Chennai, and to study the significant association chi-square was used by the researcher. Findings:QWL of the employees of this steel company can be improved by conducting some more training classes for the employees who are falling in the category of more than 3 to 4 years of experience and >4 years of experience which would boost their self confidence and help them attain their level of satisfaction. Similarly the organization can give some more security to the employees falling in the category of 41 and above so that they feel quite secure in the hand of organization and they can give their paramount performance. Novelty/Improvement:This empirical article on Quality of Work life - A Study’s structured questionnairecan be applied as an Employee opinion Survey taken in once in 6 months on knowing the quality of work life. By doing this survey organizations can get to know the quality of work life of the employees and take necessary steps to improve the QWL among all the Employees. It also helps the employers to know that their employees who are working in their organization are happily working leading to good QWL which will boost up their performance to come happily daily to their work place.

[Quality of life at work and quality of work].

PubMed

Bonnefond, Jean-Yves; Clot, Yves

2011-10-01

Unease at work is the consequence of a growing difficulty in carrying out high quality work based on performance criteria. Healthcare professionals are well placed to highlight these criteria which can be discussed within work groups. The aim of these groups is to work towards compromises combining efficiency and health.

Sleep hygiene education: efficacy on sleep quality in working women.

PubMed

Chen, Pao-Hui; Kuo, Hung-Yu; Chueh, Ke-Hsin

2010-12-01

Although sleep hygiene education represents a promising approach for patients with poor sleep quality, little research has been devoted in understanding the sleep hygiene behavior and knowledge of working women. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a short-term sleep hygiene education program on working women with poor sleep quality. This pilot study was a prospective and an exploratory intervention study. The intervention was tested on 37 selected working women with poor sleep quality in the community. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (score > 5) was used to identify working women with poor sleep quality. After a pretest to assess sleep quality, researchers implemented a 5-week sleep hygiene education program that addressed good sleep environments/habits, emotional stress, the influence of diet/alcohol/tobacco on sleep, exercise, and alternative therapies. Tests administered midway through the program and after program completion provided the data used to analyze effective sleep quality changes. Results showed sleep hygiene education to improve participant sleep quality significantly (p < .001). The sleep quality of all participants improved over both the 3- and the 5-week education program. The six components of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (i.e., subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction) also improved. A brief and effective sleep hygiene education program delivered by a nurse can improve sleep quality in working women with sleeping problems.

The work environment of haemodialysis nurses and its impact on patients' outcomes.

PubMed

Prezerakos, Panagiotis; Galanis, Peter; Moisoglou, Ioannis

2015-04-01

The aims of this study were to assess haemodialysis nurses' work environment and investigate the correlation between work environment and patients' outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the 11 public hospital-based haemodialysis units of the 5th Regional Health Authority of Greece. The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) was used to assess work environment. Nurses were asked to report the frequency of a series adverse events and errors. Study population consisted of 133 nurses (response rate 89.3%). The overall PES-NWI scored just < 2.5 (Mean = 2.48, standard deviation = 0.34) indicating a non-favourable haemodialysis workplace. Nurse-physician Relations, nurse manager ability and nursing foundations for quality of care were the most favourable aspects of work environment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that hypotension (odds ratio (OR) = 0.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.1-0.9, P = 0.03), venous needle disconnection (OR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.03-0.65, P = 0.012) and patient fall (OR = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.001-0.51, P = 0.018) were associated with a non-favourable work environment. Findings have important implications for improvement of haemodialysis work environment and enhancement of patients' safety. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Measuring nurses' perception of work environment: a scoping review of questionnaires.

PubMed

Norman, Rebecka Maria; Sjetne, Ingeborg Strømseng

2017-01-01

Nurses' work environment has been shown to be associated with quality of care and organizational outcomes. In order to monitor the work environment, it is useful for all stakeholders to know the questionnaires that assess or evaluate conditions for delivering nursing care. The aim of this article is: to review the literature for assessed survey questionnaires that measure nurses' perception of their work environment, make a brief assessment, and map the content domains included in a selection of questionnaires. The search included electronic databases of internationally published literature, international websites, and hand searches of reference lists. Eligible papers describing a questionnaire had to be; a) suitable for nurses working in direct care in general hospitals, nursing homes or home healthcare settings; and b) constructed to measure work environment characteristics that are amenable to change and related to patient and organizational outcomes; and c) presented along with an assessment of their measurement properties. The search yielded 5077 unique articles. For the final synthesis, 65 articles met inclusion criteria, consisting of 34 questionnaires measuring nursing work environments in different settings. Most of the questionnaires that we found were developed, and tested, for registered nurses in a general hospital setting. Six questionnaires were developed specifically for use in nursing home settings and one for home healthcare. The content domains covered by the questionnaires were both overlapping and unique and the terminology in use was inconsistent. The most common content domains in the work environment questionnaires were supportive managers, collaborative relationships with peers, busyness, professional practice and autonomy. The findings from this review enhance the understanding of how "work environment" can be measured by an overview of existing questionnaires and domains. Our results indicate that there are very many work environment

Using a social capital framework to enhance measurement of the nursing work environment.

PubMed

Sheingold, Brenda Helen; Sheingold, Steven H

2013-07-01

To develop, field test and analyse a social capital survey instrument for measuring the nursing work environment. The concept of social capital, which focuses on improving productive capacity by examining relationships and networks, may provide a promising framework to measure and evaluate the nurse work environment in a variety of settings. A survey instrument for measuring social capital in the nurse work environment was developed by adapting the World Bank's Social Capital - Integrated Questionnaire (SC-IQ). Exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analyses were applied to assess the properties of the instrument. The exploratory factor analysis yielded five factors that align well with the social capital framework, while reflecting unique aspects of the nurse work environment. The results suggest that the social capital framework provides a promising context to assess the nurse work environment. Further work is needed to refine the instrument for a diverse range of health-care providers and to correlate social capital measures with quality of patient care. Social capital measurement of the nurse work environment has the potential to provide managers with an enhanced set of tools for building productive capacity in health-care organisations and achieving desired outcomes. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The impact of nursing work environments on patient safety outcomes: the mediating role of burnout/engagement.

PubMed

Spence Laschinger, Heather K; Leiter, Michael P

2006-05-01

To test a theoretical model of professional nurse work environments linking conditions for professional nursing practice to burnout and, subsequently, patient safety outcomes. The 2004 Institute of Medicine report raised serious concerns about the impact of hospital restructuring on nursing work environments and patient safety outcomes. Few studies have used a theoretical framework to study the nature of the relationships between nursing work environments and patient safety outcomes. Hospital-based nurses in Canada (N = 8,597) completed measures of worklife (Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index), burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Scale), and their report of frequency of adverse patient events. Structural equation modeling analysis supported an extension of Leiter and Laschinger's Nursing Worklife Model. Nursing leadership played a fundamental role in the quality of worklife regarding policy involvement, staffing levels, support for a nursing model of care (vs medical), and nurse/physician relationships. Staffing adequacy directly affected emotional exhaustion, and use of a nursing model of care had a direct effect on nurses' personal accomplishment. Both directly affected patient safety outcomes. The results suggest that patient safety outcomes are related to the quality of the nursing practice work environment and nursing leadership's role in changing the work environment to decrease nurse burnout.

Relationships between work outcomes, work attitudes and work environments of health support workers in Ontario long-term care and home and community care settings.

PubMed

Berta, Whitney; Laporte, Audrey; Perreira, Tyrone; Ginsburg, Liane; Dass, Adrian Rohit; Deber, Raisa; Baumann, Andrea; Cranley, Lisa; Bourgeault, Ivy; Lum, Janet; Gamble, Brenda; Pilkington, Kathryn; Haroun, Vinita; Neves, Paula

2018-03-22

Our overarching study objective is to further our understanding of the work psychology of Health Support Workers (HSWs) in long-term care and home and community care settings in Ontario, Canada. Specifically, we seek novel insights about the relationships among aspects of these workers' work environments, their work attitudes, and work outcomes in the interests of informing the development of human resource programs to enhance elder care. We conducted a path analysis of data collected via a survey administered to a convenience sample of Ontario HSWs engaged in the delivery of elder care over July-August 2015. HSWs' work outcomes, including intent to stay, organizational citizenship behaviors, and performance, are directly and significantly related to their work attitudes, including job satisfaction, work engagement, and affective organizational commitment. These in turn are related to how HSWs perceive their work environments including their quality of work life (QWL), their perceptions of supervisor support, and their perceptions of workplace safety. HSWs' work environments are within the power of managers to modify. Our analysis suggests that QWL, perceptions of supervisor support, and perceptions of workplace safety present particularly promising means by which to influence HSWs' work attitudes and work outcomes. Furthermore, even modest changes to some aspects of the work environment stand to precipitate a cascade of positive effects on work outcomes through work attitudes.

A Qualitative Study of the Work Environments of Mexican Nurses

PubMed Central

Squires, Allison; Juarez, Adrian

2012-01-01

Background Studies of the nursing work environment are increasingly common in developed countries, but few exist in developing countries. Because of resource differences between the two contexts, researchers need to clarify what aspects of the work environments are similar and different. Objectives To study the perspectives of Mexican nurses about their work environments to determine similarities and differences to results from developed world studies. Design A secondary, directed content analysis of qualitative data from 46 Spanish language interviews using workplace-oriented themes Setting Purposively selected Mexican states from four regions of the country that reflect the country’s socioeconomic differences. Participants Practicing Mexican nurses with at least one year of clinical experience and currently working in nursing. Participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling techniques. Methods Initial data collection occurred in 2006 and 2008 during a broader study about professionalization processes that occurred in Mexican nursing between 1980 and 2005. The secondary, directed content analysis focused on an in-depth exploration of a central theme that emerged from the two original studies: The Workplace. The directed content analysis used themes from the global nursing work environment literature to structure the analysis: Professional relationships, organizational administrative practices, and quality of care and services. Results The three themes from the global literature were relevant for the Mexican context and a new one emerged related to hiring practices. By category, the same factors that created positive or negative perceptions of the work environment matched findings from other international studies conducted in developed countries. The descriptors of the category, however, had different conceptual meanings that illustrate the health system challenges in Mexico. Conclusions Findings from this study suggest that studies that

Work engagement supports nurse workforce stability and quality of care: nursing team-level analysis in psychiatric hospitals.

PubMed

Van Bogaert, P; Wouters, K; Willems, R; Mondelaers, M; Clarke, S

2013-10-01

Research in healthcare settings reveals important links between work environment factors, burnout and organizational outcomes. Recently, research focuses on work engagement, the opposite (positive) pole from burnout. The current study investigated the relationship of nurse practice environment aspects and work engagement (vigour, dedication and absorption) to job outcomes and nurse-reported quality of care variables within teams using a multilevel design in psychiatric inpatient settings. Validated survey instruments were used in a cross-sectional design. Team-level analyses were performed with staff members (n = 357) from 32 clinical units in two psychiatric hospitals in Belgium. Favourable nurse practice environment aspects were associated with work engagement dimensions, and in turn work engagement was associated with job satisfaction, intention to stay in the profession and favourable nurse-reported quality of care variables. The strongest multivariate models suggested that dedication predicted positive job outcomes whereas nurse management predicted perceptions of quality of care. In addition, reports of quality of care by the interdisciplinary team were predicted by dedication, absorption, nurse-physician relations and nurse management. The study findings suggest that differences in vigour, dedication and absorption across teams associated with practice environment characteristics impact nurse job satisfaction, intention to stay and perceptions of quality of care. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Knowledge work productivity effect on quality of knowledge work in software development process in SME

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusoff, Mohd Zairol; Mahmuddin, Massudi; Ahmad, Mazida

2016-08-01

Knowledge and skill are necessary to develop the capability of knowledge workers. However, there is very little understanding of what the necessary knowledge work (KW) is, and how they influence the quality of knowledge work or knowledge work productivity (KWP) in software development process, including that in small and medium-sized (SME) enterprise. The SME constitutes a major part of the economy and it has been relatively unsuccessful in developing KWP. Accordingly, this paper seeks to explore the influencing dimensions of KWP that effect on the quality of KW in SME environment. First, based on the analysis of the existing literatures, the key characteristics of KW productivity are defined. Second, the conceptual model is proposed, which explores the dimensions of the KWP and its quality. This study analyses data collected from 150 respondents (based on [1], who involve in SME in Malaysia and validates the models by using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results provide an analysis of the effect of KWP on the quality of KW and business success, and have a significant relevance for both research and practice in the SME

Improving the health care work environment: implications for research, practice, and policy.

PubMed

Harrison, Michael I; Henriksen, Kerm; Hughes, Ronda G

2007-11-01

Despite the gains to date, we need better understanding of practices for implementing and sustaining improvements in health care work environments and further study of organizational conditions affecting implementation of improvements. Limiting work hours, improving schedules, and providing sleep hygiene training will help combat clinician fatigue. Hospital crowding can be reduced through systemwide improvement of patient flow and capacity management, coupled with management support, measurement, and reporting on crowding. Long-term solutions to nurse staffing shortfalls include process redesign to enhance efficiency. Improvement of organizational climate, human resource management, and interoccupational relations will also contribute to staff retention. Evidence-based enhancements to patient rooms and other physical features in hospitals contribute directly to safety and quality and also affect staff performance. POLICY: Landrigan and his colleagues call for external restrictions on residents' work shifts. Clarke examines prospects for mandated nursing-staff ratios. Public reporting on staffing, crowding, and other risks may incent change. Reporting and pay for performance require standardized measures of targeted conditions. Organizations promoting care quality can help spread safe work practices; they can also support collaborative learning and other strategies that may enhance implementation of improvements in work environments.

Work Environment-Related Factors in Obtaining and Maintaining Work in a Competitive Employment Setting for Employees with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Ellenkamp, Joke J H; Brouwers, Evelien P M; Embregts, Petri J C M; Joosen, Margot C W; van Weeghel, Jaap

2016-03-01

People with an intellectual disability value work as a significant part of their lives, and many of them want to participate in regular paid employment.Current estimates show that the number of people with ID who have some form of paid employment are very low, ranging from 9 to 40% across different countries,despite legislations. This review examines papers published in the past 20 years in an attempt to answer the following research question: ‘What work environment-related factors contribute to obtaining or maintaining work in competitive employment for people with an intellectual disability?’ The databases of PubMed, PsycINFO,CINAHL, Embase and Web of Science were searched for relevant papers published between 1993 and 2013. All papers were independently screened by two researchers.Methodological quality of the studies was evaluated, and data on work environment-related factors stimulating employment for people with intellectual disabilities were extracted and grouped into categories. A total of 1932 articles were retrieved. After extensive screening for relevance and quality, 26 articles were included in this review. Four themes/categories with work environment related factors that could influence work participation were distinguished. Five studies were conducted on employers’ decisions and opinions. Eight focused on job content and performance, and eight on workplace interaction and culture. Five studies evaluated support by job coaches. Despite ongoing legislation to promote participation of people with intellectual disabilities in the paid workforce, research in this area is still extremely scarce. In the past 20 years, very few studies have focused on work environment-related factors that can enhance competitive work for people with intellectual disabilities.This review shows that relevant work environment-related factors for obtaining and maintaining work in competitive employment include supporting the employers by paying specific attention to

Sequential bilateral cochlear implantation improves working performance, quality of life, and quality of hearing.

PubMed

Härkönen, Kati; Kivekäs, Ilkka; Rautiainen, Markus; Kotti, Voitto; Sivonen, Ville; Vasama, Juha-Pekka

2015-05-01

This prospective study shows that working performance, quality of life (QoL), and quality of hearing (QoH) are better with two compared with a single cochlear implant (CI). The impact of the second CI on the patient's QoL is as significant as the impact of the first CI. To evaluate the benefits of sequential bilateral cochlear implantation in working, QoL, and QoH. We studied working performance, work-related stress, QoL, and QoH with specific questionnaires in 15 patients with unilateral CI scheduled for sequential CI of another ear. Sound localization performance and speech perception in noise were measured with specific tests. All questionnaires and tests were performed before the second CI surgery and 6 and 12 months after its activation. Bilateral CIs increased patients' working performance and their work-related stress and fatigue decreased. Communication with co-workers was easier and patients were more active in their working environment. Sequential bilateral cochlear implantation improved QoL, QoH, sound localization, and speech perception in noise statistically significantly.

[Associations between dormitory environment/other factors and sleep quality of medical students].

PubMed

Zheng, Bang; Wang, Kailu; Pan, Ziqi; Li, Man; Pan, Yuting; Liu, Ting; Xu, Dan; Lyu, Jun

2016-03-01

To investigate the sleep quality and related factors among medical students in China, understand the association between dormitory environment and sleep quality, and provide evidence and recommendations for sleep hygiene intervention. A total of 555 undergraduate students were selected from a medical school of an university in Beijing through stratified-cluster random-sampling to conduct a questionnaire survey by using Chinese version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and self-designed questionnaire. Analyses were performed by using multiple logistic regression model as well as multilevel linear regression model. The prevalence of sleep disorder was 29.1%(149/512), and 39.1%(200/512) of the students reported that the sleep quality was influenced by dormitory environment. PSQI score was negatively correlated with self-reported rating of dormitory environment (γs=-0.310, P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed the related factors of sleep disorder included grade, sleep regularity, self-rated health status, pressures of school work and employment, as well as dormitory environment. RESULTS of multilevel regression analysis also indicated that perception on dormitory environment (individual level) was associated with sleep quality with the dormitory level random effects under control (b=-0.619, P<0.001). The prevalence of sleep disorder was high in medical students, which was associated with multiple factors. Dormitory environment should be taken into consideration when the interventions are taken to improve the sleep quality of students.

Nursing leadership style and psychosocial work environment.

PubMed

Malloy, Terry; Penprase, Barbara

2010-09-01

This study examines the relationship between leadership style and the psychosocial work environment of registered nurses. Research consistently supports the positive relationship between transformational leadership style and job satisfaction. There is less evidence, which identifies the relationship between leadership style and psychosocial work environment. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire 5× was used to identify the leadership style. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire was used to measure psychosocial work environment dimensions. Statistical analysis included Pearson's r correlation between leadership style and psychosocial work environment and anova to analyse group means. There is a significant correlation between leadership style and 22 out of the 37 dimensions of the psychosocial work environment. This correlation was significant ranging from r = 0.88, P < 0.01 to r = 0.18, P < 0.05. Nurses divided into groups based on transformational leadership scores of the immediate supervisor report significant differences in their psychosocial work environment. This study supports the significant correlation between leadership style and psychosocial work environment for registered nurses. The results of this study suggest that there would be an improvement in the nursing psychosocial work environment by implementation of transformational and contingent reward leadership behaviours. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Provider perceptions of the social work environment and the state of pediatric care in a downsized urban public academic medical center.

PubMed

Tataw, David Besong

2011-05-01

The author's purpose through this study was to document and analyze health provider perceptions of their social work environment and the state of pediatric care at Los Angeles County King/Drew Hospital and Medical Center in 2000, after the restructuring and downsizing of the hospital and its community clinics. The research results showed nurses and physicians reporting that both the quality of pediatric care and the provider social work environment were poor. Negative factors in the social work environment included: low employee morale, poorly staffed clinical teams, lack of professional autonomy, perceptions of low quality of care for pediatric patients, and interpersonal issues of poor communication and collaboration among providers. Providers also perceived a non-supportive work environment, sense of powerlessness, poor quality of work, lack of goal clarity from leadership, lack of fairness in leadership behavior, and an organizational leadership that is abandoning its core mission and values, thereby making it difficult for providers to carry out their professional functions. The author's findings in this study suggest a relationship between intra-role conflict, social employment environment and quality of care at King/Drew Medical Center in 2000. Lessons for practice are presented.

Systematic Quality Work in Preschool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheridan, Sonja; Williams, Pia; Sandberg, Anette

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the meaning that Swedish preschool teachers ascribe to systematic quality work. In Sweden, all preschools are required to work systematically with quality issues. This involves several interdependent steps that follow each other in a specific order. Although the concept of systematic quality work might…

Employment, Work Conditions, and the Home Environment in Single-Mother Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lleras, Christy

2008-01-01

This study investigates the impact of employment status and work conditions on the quality of the home environment provided by single mothers of preschool-age children. Multivariate analyses were conducted using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. The results indicate that employment status is not a significant predictor of the…

Essential elements of professional nursing environments in Primary Care and their influence on the quality of care.

PubMed

Gea-Caballero, Vicente; Castro-Sánchez, Enrique; Júarez-Vela, Raúl; Díaz-Herrera, Miguel Ángel; de Miguel-Montoya, Isabel; Martínez-Riera, José Ramón

Nursing work environments are key determinants of care quality. Our study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of nursing environments in primary care settings in the Canary Islands, and identify crucial components of such environments to improve quality. We conducted a cross-sectional study in primary care organisations using the Practice Environment Scale - Nursing Work Index tool. We collected sociodemographic variables, scores, and selected the essential items conducive to optimal care. Appropriate parametric and non-parametric statistical tests were used to analyse relations between variables (CI = 95%, error = 5%). One hundred and forty-four nurses participated. The mean total score was 81.6. The results for the five dimensions included in the Practice Environment Scale - Nursing Work Index ranged from 2.25 - 2.92 (Mean). Twelve key items for quality of care were selected; six were positive in the Canary Islands, two were mixed, and four negative. 7/12 items were included in Dimension 2 (fundamentals of nursing). Being a manager was statistically associated with higher scores (p<.000). Years of experience was inversely associated with scores in the 12 items (p<.021). Nursing work environments in primary care settings in the Canary Islands are comparable to others previously studied in Spain. Areas to improve were human resources and participation of nurses in management decisions. Nurse managers must be knowledgeable about their working environments so they can focus on improvements in key dimensions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Nurses' work environment: indicators of satisfaction.

PubMed

Suliman, Mohammad; Aljezawi, Maen

2018-01-10

This study aimed to investigate nurses' perceptions of the nursing work environment in Jordanian hospitals. Previous research has indicated a strong relationship between nurses' work environment and their satisfaction at work. However, little is known about the situation in Jordan. A cross-sectional and descriptive design was used. A sample of 500 nurses was recruited. The study was conducted using the Individual Workload Perception Revised scale (IWPS-R). A sum of 382 out of 500 nurses from three health care sectors in Jordan responded to the questionnaires (response rate = 76.4%). The results indicate that nurses working in the public hospitals had significantly better perceptions about their work environment than nurses working in private and university hospitals. Older nurses with lower academic qualifications are more likely to be satisfied with their work. Furthermore, nurses who have good perceptions of support from their manager and peers, and a manageable workload are more likely to stay in their jobs. The public hospitals are currently considered a more suitable milieu for nurses in Jordan. Other health care sectors should work to enhance nurses' working conditions. Providing a supportive work environment with a manageable workload will encourage nurses to stay in their hospitals. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Leadership styles and outcome patterns for the nursing workforce and work environment: a systematic review.

PubMed

Cummings, Greta G; MacGregor, Tara; Davey, Mandy; Lee, How; Wong, Carol A; Lo, Eliza; Muise, Melanie; Stafford, Erin

2010-03-01

Numerous policy and research reports call for leadership to build quality work environments, implement new models of care, and bring health and wellbeing to an exhausted and stretched nursing workforce. Rarely do they indicate how leadership should be enacted, or examine whether some forms of leadership may lead to negative outcomes. We aimed to examine the relationships between various styles of leadership and outcomes for the nursing workforce and their work environments. The search strategy of this multidisciplinary systematic review included 10 electronic databases. Published, quantitative studies that examined leadership behaviours and outcomes for nurses and organizations were included. Quality assessments, data extractions and analysis were completed on all included studies. 34,664 titles and abstracts were screened resulting in 53 included studies. Using content analysis, 64 outcomes were grouped into five categories: staffsatisfaction with work, role and pay, staff relationships with work, staff health and wellbeing, work environment factors, and productivity and effectiveness. Distinctive patterns between relational and task focused leadership styles and their outcomes for nurses and their work environments emerged from our analysis. For example, 24 studies reported that leadership styles focused on people and relationships (transformational, resonant, supportive, and consideration) were associated with higher nurse job satisfaction, whereas 10 studies found that leadership styles focused on tasks (dissonant, instrumental and management by exception) were associated with lower nurse job satisfaction. Similar trends were found for each category of outcomes. Our results document evidence of various forms of leadership and their differential effects on the nursing workforce and work environments. Leadership focused on task completion alone is not sufficient to achieve optimum outcomes for the nursing workforce. Efforts by organizations and individuals to

Seeking Connectivity in Nurses' Work Environments: Advancing Nurse Empowerment Theory.

PubMed

Udod, Sonia

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how staff nurses and their managers exercise power in a hospital setting in order to better understand what fosters or constrains staff nurses' empowerment and to extend nurse empowerment theory. Power is integral to empowerment, and attention to the challenges in nurses' work environment and nurse outcomes by administrators, researchers, and policy-makers has created an imperative to advance a theoretical understanding of power in the nurse-manager relationship. A sample of 26 staff nurses on 3 units of a tertiary hospital in western Canada were observed and interviewed about how the manager affected their ability to do their work. Grounded theory methodology was used. The process of seeking connectivity was the basic social process, indicating that the manager plays a critical role in the work environment and nurses need the manager to share power with them in the provision of safe, quality patient care. Copyright© by Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University.

Healthy work environment--a challenge?

PubMed

Jansson von Vultée, Pia Hannele

2015-01-01

In Sweden, leave due to sickness was high during the 1990s. The Swedish Social Insurance Agency was able to decrease sick days in the period between 2000 and 2010 but sick days are rising again in Sweden, mostly due to psychological problems among women and partly due to their work environment. It is important to find methods to identify poor work settings to prevent absenteeism due to sickness. The paper aims to discuss these issues. The authors created a web questionnaire focusing on the organizational setting and its impact on employee wellbeing--reported as mental energy, work-related exhaustion and work satisfaction. The questionnaire measures good and poor work environment factors to help managers improve organizational settings. The questionnaire was validated qualitatively and quantitatively. It is possible to measure individual wellbeing in an organizational context at an early stage. The authors followed a company undergoing organizational change and identified groups at risk of developing illness. Managers uncertain about employee mental status can measure employee wellbeing easily and cost effectively to prevent illness. The authors created a method, statistically evaluated, to proactively identify good and poor work environments to promote healthy co-workers.

Effects of work environment and job characteristics on the turnover intention of experienced nurses: The mediating role of work engagement.

PubMed

Wan, Qiaoqin; Li, Zhaoyang; Zhou, Weijiao; Shang, Shaomei

2018-06-01

To assess turnover intention among experienced nurses and explore the effects of work environment, job characteristics and work engagement on turnover intention. The nursing shortage is an urgent concern in China. A high turnover rate of experienced nurses could have serious effects on the quality of care, costs and the efficiency of hospitals. It is crucial to explore the predictors of turnover intention and develop strategies tailored to experienced nurses. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey design. A total of 778 experienced nurses from seven hospitals was surveyed on their work engagement, job characteristics, work environment and turnover intention in March-May 2017. Structural equation modelling was used to test a theoretical model and the hypotheses. The results showed that 35.9% of experienced nurses had high-level turnover intention. The final model explained 50% of the variance in experienced nurses' turnover intention and demonstrated that: (1) work environment was positively associated with higher work engagement and lower turnover intention and work engagement partially mediated the relationship between work environment and turnover intention; and (2) job characteristics were positively related to higher work engagement and lower turnover intention and work engagement fully mediated the relationship between job characteristics and turnover intention. The study confirms the intrinsic and extrinsic motivators on work engagement posited by job demands-resources model. Theory-driven strategies to improve work environment, enhance job characteristics and promote wok engagement are needed to address the nursing shortage and high turnover intention among experienced nurses. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nurse work environment and job-related outcomes in Brazilian hospitals.

PubMed

Dutra, Herica Silva; Cimiotti, Jeannie P; Guirardello, Edinêis de Brito

2018-06-01

It has been reported that a work environment that does not support nurses, and high levels of emotional exhaustion and job dissatisfaction are associated with nurses' intent to leave their job. The aim of this study was to determine if these work-related factors and job-related outcomes are common in Brazilian nurses. This cross-sectional study included a 2015 survey of nursing professionals who worked in 48 units of three Brazilian, acute care hospitals. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the sample and a series of logistic regression models were fit to examine two job-related outcomes of interest: job dissatisfaction and intent to leave during the next 12 months. A total of 450 completed surveys were available, where nurses reported high emotional exhaustion (26%), job dissatisfaction (28%), and an intent to leave (12%). Poor control over the work environment (OR = 2.19) and high emotional exhaustion (OR = 4.47) were associated with an increase in the odds of job dissatisfaction. Inadequate staffing (OR = 2.43), high emotional exhaustion (OR = 2.24) and job dissatisfaction (OR = 5.74) were associated with an increase in the odds that nurses would leave their job in the next 12 months. Features of the nurse work environment and high emotional exhaustion were associated with job dissatisfaction. Job dissatisfaction and inadequate staffing are likely to result in nurses leaving their job. It is imperative that hospital administrators provide a work environment that supports nursing and improves nurse outcomes and the quality of patient care. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Professional Quality of Life of Veterans Affairs Staff and Providers in a Patient-Centered Care Environment.

PubMed

Locatelli, Sara M; LaVela, Sherri L

2015-01-01

Changes to the work environment prompted by the movement toward patient-centered care have the potential to improve occupational stress among health care workers by improving team-based work activities, collaboration, and employee-driven quality improvement. This study was conducted to examine professional quality of life among providers at patient-centered care pilot facilities. Surveys were conducted with 76 Veterans Affairs employees/providers at facilities piloting patient-centered care interventions, to assess demographics, workplace practices and views (team-based environment, employee voice, quality of communication, and turnover intention), and professional quality of life (compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress).Professional quality-of-life subscales were not related to employee position type, age, or gender. Employee voice measures were related to lower burnout and higher compassion satisfaction. In addition, employees who were considering leaving their position showed higher burnout and lower compassion satisfaction scores. None of the work practices showed relationships with secondary traumatic stress.

The work compatibility improvement framework: an assessment of the worker-work environment interaction in the manufacturing sector.

PubMed

Genaidy, Ash M; Rinder, Magda M; A-Rehim, Amal D

2008-08-01

The manufacturing sector in the US is challenged by high health care costs and shortage of qualified workers, which are largely attributed to the degree of fit between the worker and work environment. In this regard, a healthy worker-work environment interface is a necessary and sufficient condition for the containment of health care costs and the retaining/attraction of highly qualified knowledge workers and should be based on the principles of optimum physical, cognitive and emotional health for the workers. In prior research, the Work Compatibility Improvement Framework (WCIF) was introduced as a vehicle to address these issues and was defined as the identification, improvement and maintenance of the well-being characteristics of the workforce and its interaction with the work environment through the application of engineering, medicine, management and human sciences methodologies, technologies and best practices. This paper advances WCIF by examining its applications in manufacturing with regard to the evaluation of working conditions impacting musculoskeletal/stress outcome measures. A study was conducted in a machining department of a bag packaging manufacturer in the Midwest of the United States. The work tasks were planned and executed with regard to the following aims: (1) to compute work compatibility as a function of work demands and energisers; (2) to establish whether the prevalence of musculoskeletal/stress disorders increases with a decrease in the quality of worker-work environment interface in terms of work compatibility level and other work factors such as shift and job category. A major finding is that a 'poor' work environment (a function of all work domains) results in musculoskeletal/stress disorders that are 105% and 67% higher than those for a 'good' work environment. The evening shift exhibited the poorest compatibility followed by the night shift relative to the day shift. Application of the work compatibility approach demonstrated the

Nonlinear Analysis to Detect if Excellent Nursing Work Environments Have Highest Well-Being.

PubMed

Casalicchio, Giuseppe; Lesaffre, Emmanuel; Küchenhoff, Helmut; Bruyneel, Luk

2017-09-01

To detect potentially nonlinear associations between nurses' work environment and nurse staffing on the one hand and nurse burnout on the other hand. A cross-sectional multicountry study for which data collection using a survey of 33,731 registered nurses in 12 European countries took place during 2009 to 2010. A semiparametric latent variable model that describes both linear and potentially nonlinear associations between burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, personal accomplishment) and work environment (Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index: managerial support for nursing, doctor-nurse collegial relations, promotion of care quality) and staffing (patient-to-nurse ratio). Similar conclusions are reached from linear and nonlinear models estimating the association between work environment and burnout. For staffing, an increase in the patient-to-nurse ratio is associated with an increase in emotional exhaustion. At about 15 patients per nurse, no further increase in emotional exhaustion is seen. Absence of evidence for diminishing returns of improving work environments suggests that continuous improvement and achieving excellence in nurse work environments pays off strongly in terms of lower nurse-reported burnout rates. Nurse staffing policy would benefit from a larger number of studies that identify specific minimum as well as maximum thresholds at which inputs affect nurse and patient outcomes. Nurse burnout is omnipresent and has previously been shown to be related to worse patient outcomes. Additional increments in characteristics of excellent work environments, up to the highest possible standard, correspond to lower nurse burnout. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Impact of healthy work environments and multistage nurse residency programs on retention of newly licensed RNs.

PubMed

Kramer, Marlene; Halfer, Diana; Maguire, Pat; Schmalenberg, Claudia

2012-03-01

The objective of the study was to examine effects of nurse-confirmed healthy unit work environments and multistage nurse residency programs (NRPs) on retention rates of newly licensed RNs (NLRNs). Establishing a culture of retention and healthy clinical nurse practice environments are two major challenges confronting nurse leaders today. Nurse residency programs are a major component of NLRN work environments and have been shown to be effective in abating nurse turnover. Sample for this study consisted of 5,316 new graduates in initial RN roles in 28 Magnet® hospitals. There were no differences in retention rates by education or patient population on clinical unit. NLRN retention rate was higher in community than in academic hospitals. More than half of NLRNs were placed on units with very healthy work environments. Newly licensed RNs on units with work environments needing improvement resigned at a significantly higher rate than did other NLRNs. The quality of clinical unit work environments is the most important factor in NLRN retention.

Work environment of Danish shift and day workers.

PubMed

Bøggild, H; Burr, H; Tüchsen, F; Jeppesen, H J

2001-04-01

Both shift work and other work environment factors have been shown to be related to heart disease. This study examined whether shift work is associated with other work environment factors related to heart disease in a random sample of the population. If so, shift work could be acting as a proxy for work environment differences. Data on 5940 employees in the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study from 1990 were reanalyzed. The information included work schedules [permanent day work, irregular workhours (including morning work), 2-shift or fixed evening and 3-shift or fixed night], length of workweek, physical factors (noise, heat, dust, passive smoking, walking, standing and monotonous repetitive tasks), and psychosocial factors (including demands and control dimensions, social support, conflicts and job insecurity). At least 1 group of shift workers had a higher prevalence of nearly every unfavorable work environment factor investigated. Exceptions were dust exposure and quantitative demands. Especially conflicts at work and low decision latitude were higher among all the groups of shift workers, and all-day walking or standing work and part-time jobs were more often found among female shift workers. The 3 different shiftwork groups were exposed to different parts of the work environment, and also men and women in shift work differed in relation to the work environment. Age and social class influenced the relationship, but not in any particular pattern. In a heterogenous population shift work was found to be associated with other work environment factors suspected to cause heart disease.

[Structural Equation Modeling of Quality of Work Life in Clinical Nurses based on the Culture-Work-Health Model].

PubMed

Kim, Miji; Ryu, Eunjung

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to construct and test a structural equation model of quality of work life for clinical nurses based on Peterson and Wilson's Culture-Work-Health model (CWHM). A structured questionnaire was completed by 523 clinical nurses to analyze the relationships between concepts of CWHM-organizational culture, social support, employee health, organizational health, and quality of work life. Among these conceptual variables of CWHM, employee health was measured by perceived health status, and organizational health was measured by presenteeism. SPSS21.0 and AMOS 21.0 programs were used to analyze the efficiency of the hypothesized model and calculate the direct and indirect effects of factors affecting quality of work life among clinical nurses. The goodness-of-fit statistics of the final modified hypothetical model are as follows: χ²=586.03, χ²/df=4.19, GFI=.89, AGFI=.85, CFI=.91, TLI=.90, NFI=.89, and RMSEA=.08. The results revealed that organizational culture, social support, organizational health, and employee health accounted for 69% of clinical nurses' quality of work life. The major findings of this study indicate that it is essential to create a positive organizational culture and provide adequate organizational support to maintain a balance between the health of clinical nurses and the organization. Further repeated and expanded studies are needed to explore the multidimensional aspects of clinical nurses' quality of work life in Korea, including various factors, such as work environment, work stress, and burnout.

The effectiveness of an aged care specific leadership and management program on workforce, work environment, and care quality outcomes: design of a cluster randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A plethora of observational evidence exists concerning the impact of management and leadership on workforce, work environment, and care quality. Yet, no randomised controlled trial has been conducted to test the effectiveness of leadership and management interventions in aged care. An innovative aged care clinical leadership program (Clinical Leadership in Aged Care − CLiAC) was developed to improve managers’ leadership capacities to support the delivery of quality care in Australia. This paper describes the study design of the cluster randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of the program. Methods Twenty-four residential and community aged care sites were recruited as managers at each site agreed in writing to participate in the study and ensure that leaders allocated to the control arm would not be offered the intervention program. Sites undergoing major managerial or structural changes were excluded. The 24 sites were randomly allocated to receive the CLiAC program (intervention) or usual care (control), stratified by type (residential vs. community, six each for each arm). Treatment allocation was masked to assessors and staff of all participating sites. The objective is to establish the effectiveness of the CLiAC program in improving work environment, workforce retention, as well as care safety and quality, when compared to usual care. The primary outcomes are measures of work environment, care quality and safety, and staff turnover rates. Secondary outcomes include manager leadership capacity, staff absenteeism, intention to leave, stress levels, and job satisfaction. Differences between intervention and control groups will be analysed by researchers blinded to treatment allocation using linear regression of individual results adjusted for stratification and clustering by site (primary analysis), and additionally for baseline values and potential confounders (secondary analysis). Outcomes measured at the site level will be

The effectiveness of an aged care specific leadership and management program on workforce, work environment, and care quality outcomes: design of a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Jeon, Yun-Hee; Simpson, Judy M; Chenoweth, Lynn; Cunich, Michelle; Kendig, Hal

2013-10-25

A plethora of observational evidence exists concerning the impact of management and leadership on workforce, work environment, and care quality. Yet, no randomised controlled trial has been conducted to test the effectiveness of leadership and management interventions in aged care. An innovative aged care clinical leadership program (Clinical Leadership in Aged Care--CLiAC) was developed to improve managers' leadership capacities to support the delivery of quality care in Australia. This paper describes the study design of the cluster randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of the program. Twenty-four residential and community aged care sites were recruited as managers at each site agreed in writing to participate in the study and ensure that leaders allocated to the control arm would not be offered the intervention program. Sites undergoing major managerial or structural changes were excluded. The 24 sites were randomly allocated to receive the CLiAC program (intervention) or usual care (control), stratified by type (residential vs. community, six each for each arm). Treatment allocation was masked to assessors and staff of all participating sites. The objective is to establish the effectiveness of the CLiAC program in improving work environment, workforce retention, as well as care safety and quality, when compared to usual care. The primary outcomes are measures of work environment, care quality and safety, and staff turnover rates. Secondary outcomes include manager leadership capacity, staff absenteeism, intention to leave, stress levels, and job satisfaction. Differences between intervention and control groups will be analysed by researchers blinded to treatment allocation using linear regression of individual results adjusted for stratification and clustering by site (primary analysis), and additionally for baseline values and potential confounders (secondary analysis). Outcomes measured at the site level will be compared by cluster

Changes in hospital nurse work environments and nurse job outcomes: an analysis of panel data.

PubMed

Kutney-Lee, Ann; Wu, Evan S; Sloane, Douglas M; Aiken, Linda H

2013-02-01

One strategy proposed to alleviate nursing shortages is the promotion of organizational efforts that will improve nurse recruitment and retention. Cross-sectional studies have shown that the quality of the nurse work environment is associated with nurse outcomes related to retention, but there have been very few longitudinal studies undertaken to examine this relationship. To demonstrate how rates of burnout, intention to leave, and job dissatisfaction changed in a panel of hospitals over time, and to explore whether these outcomes were associated with changes in nurse work environments. A retrospective, two-stage panel design was chosen for this study. Survey data collected from large random samples of registered nurses employed in Pennsylvania hospitals in 1999 and 2006 were used to derive hospital-level rates of burnout, intention to leave current position, and job dissatisfaction, and to classify the quality of nurses' work environments at both points in time. A two-period difference model was used to estimate the dependence of changes in rates of nurse burnout, intention to leave, and job dissatisfaction on changes in nurse work environments between 1999 and 2006 in 137 hospitals, accounting for concurrent changes in nurse staffing levels. In general, nurse outcomes improved between 1999 and 2006, with fewer nurses reporting burnout, intention to leave, and job dissatisfaction in 2006 as compared to 1999. Our difference models showed that improvements in work environment had a strong negative association with changes in rates of burnout (β=-6.42%, p<0.01) intention to leave (β=-4.10%, p<0.01), and job dissatisfaction (β=-8.00%, p<0.01). Improvements in nurse work environments over time are associated with lower rates of nurse burnout, intention to leave current position, and job dissatisfaction. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in Hospital Nurse Work Environments and Nurse Job Outcomes: An Analysis of Panel Data

PubMed Central

Wu, Evan S.; Sloane, Douglas M.; Aiken, Linda H.; Fagin, Claire M.

2013-01-01

Background One strategy proposed to alleviate nursing shortages is the promotion of organizational efforts that will improve nurse recruitment and retention. Cross-sectional studies have shown that the quality of the nurse work environment is associated with nurse outcomes related to retention, but there have been very few longitudinal studies undertaken to examine this relationship. Objectives To demonstrate how rates of burnout, intention to leave, and job dissatisfaction changed in a panel of hospitals over time, and to explore whether these outcomes were associated with changes in nurse work environments. Methods A retrospective, two-stage panel design was chosen for this study. Survey data collected from large random samples of registered nurses employed in Pennsylvania hospitals in 1999 and 2006 were used to derive hospital-level rates of burnout, intentions to leave current positions, and job dissatisfaction, and to classify the quality of nurses’ work environments at both points in time. A two-period difference model was used to estimate the dependence of changes in rates of nurse burnout, intentions to leave, and job dissatisfaction on changes in nurse work environments between 1999 and 2006 in 137 hospitals, accounting for concurrent changes in nurse staffing levels. Results In general, nurse outcomes improved between 1999 and 2006, with fewer nurses reporting burnout, intentions to leave, and job dissatisfaction in 2006 as compared to 1999. Our difference models showed that improvements in work environment had a strong negative association with changes in rates of burnout (β =−6.42%, p<0.01) intentions to leave (β =−4.10%, p<0.01), and job dissatisfaction (β =−8.00%, p<0.01). Conclusions Improvements in nurse work environments over time are associated with lower rates of nurse burnout, intentions to leave current positions, and job dissatisfaction. PMID:22902135

Development and Testing of the Healthy Work Environment Inventory: A Reliable Tool for Assessing Work Environment Health and Satisfaction.

PubMed

Clark, Cynthia M; Sattler, Victoria P; Barbosa-Leiker, Celestina

2016-10-01

Fostering healthy work environments that enhance job satisfaction and reflect high levels of employee engagement and productivity is imperative for all organizations. This is especially true for health care organizations where unhealthy work conditions can lead to poor patient outcomes. A convenience sample of 520 nursing faculty and practice-based nurses in the United States participated in a study to test the psychometric properties of the Healthy Work Environment Inventory (HWEI). A factor analysis and other reliability analyses support the use of the HWEI as a valid and reliable instrument to measure perceptions of work environment health. The HWEI is a 20-item psychometrically sound instrument to measure perceptions of the health of the work environment. It may be completed either as an individual exercise or by all members of a team to compare perceptions of work environment health, to determine areas of strength and improvement, and to form the basis for interviewing. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(10):555-562.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

The Quality of Working Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Ronald J.

1979-01-01

Defines the concept "quality of working life," why interest in this has increased, and why guidance counselors and students should understand it. Quality of working life means more than job satisfaction or flexible working hours. It helps guidance teachers understand attitudes and expectations of students embarking on their first job.…

Applying Technology in the Work Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenwood, Reed, Ed.

A series of papers is presented from two symposia sponsored by the Work Environment and Technology Committee and offered at annual conferences of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. The 1988 symposium was called "Applying Technology in the Work Environment" and the 1989 symposium was called "Reasonable…

Leadership and the psychosocial work environment in old age care.

PubMed

Lundgren, Dan; Ernsth-Bravell, Marie; Kåreholt, Ingemar

2016-03-01

To study leadership factors and their associations with psychosocial work environmental among nursing assistants who are engaged in old age care and to analyse (i) differences in the assessment of leadership factors and the assessment of psychosocial work environmental in nursing homes and home help services and (ii) the association between the psychosocial work environment and factors that are related to leadership in nursing homes and home help services. Leadership factors are an important element of the psychosocial work environment in old age care. The physical distance between leaders and nursing assistants is larger in home help services than in nursing homes. Therefore, it is important to study leadership separately in nursing homes and home help services. Assessments from 844 nursing assistants in nursing homes and 288 in home help services (45 nursing homes and 21 home help service units) were analysed. The data were analysed using linear regression. Age, gender, number of staff at the unit, number of years at the current working unit and educational level were controlled in Model 1. Summarised indexes that were based on all independent variables except the main independent variable were additionally controlled in Model 2. Psychosocial work environment was related to leadership factors, but stronger associations occurred more frequently in nursing homes than in home help services. Empowering leadership, support from superiors, the primacy of human resources and control over decisions were associated with higher assessments on all the variables that were related to the psychosocial work environment in both the nursing homes and home help services. Organisational differences in conducting leadership in old age care must be considered. Some leadership characteristics are better prerequisites for creating and maintaining a positive psychosocial work environment for nursing assistants in nursing homes and home help services. Due to the differences in

[Evaluation of the nurse working environment in health and social care intermediate care units in Catalonia].

PubMed

Bullich-Marín, Ingrid; Miralles Basseda, Ramón; Torres Egea, Pilar; Planas-Campmany, Carme; Juvé-Udina, María Eulalia

A favourable work environment contributes to greater job satisfaction and improved working conditions for nurses, a fact that could influence the quality of patient outcomes. The aim of the study is two-fold: Identifying types of centres, according to the working environment assessment made by nurses in intermediate care units, and describing the individual characteristics of nurses related to this assessment. An observational, descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional, and multicentre study was conducted in the last quarter of 2014. Nurses in intermediate care units were given a questionnaire containing the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) which assesses five factors of the work environment using 31 items. Sociodemographic, employment conditions, professional and educational variables were also collected. From a sample of 501 nurses from 14 centres, 388 nurses participated (77% response). The mean score on the PES-NWI was 84.75. Nine centres scored a "favourable" working environment and five "mixed". The best valued factor was "work relations" and the worst was "resource provision/adaptation". Rotating shift work, working in several units at the same time, having management responsibilities, and having a master degree were the characteristics related to a better perception of the nursing work environment. In most centres, the working environment was perceived as favourable. Some employment conditions, professional, and educational characteristics of nurses were related to the work environment assessment. Copyright © 2015 SEGG. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[Association between psychosocial aspects of work and quality of life among motorcycle taxi drivers].

PubMed

Teixeira, Jules Ramon Brito; Boery, Eduardo Nagib; Casotti, Cezar Augusto; Araújo, Tânia Maria de; Pereira, Rafael; Ribeiro, Ícaro José Santos; Rios, Marcela Andrade; Amorim, Camila Rego; Moreira, Ramon Missias; Boery, Rita Narriman Silva de Oliveira; Sales, Zenilda Nogueira

2015-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life of motorcycle taxi drivers and the association with psychosocial characteristics of their work. This was a cross-sectional epidemiological study with a sample of 400 motorcycle taxi drivers in Jequié, Bahia State, Brazil. The study used a form containing demographic and socioeconomic data, WHO Quality of Life-Bref Questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref), and the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Motorcycle taxi drivers with greater decision-making control over their work showed better self-rated quality of life in the psychological domain; those with high psychological demands presented better self-rated quality of life in the social relations and environmental domains; those with high strain and active work showed better self-rated quality of life in the social and environmental domains. The psychosocial work environment and especially decision-making autonomy were thus important determinants of self-rated quality of life in this group of motorcycle taxi drivers.

Return to work after spinal stenosis surgery and the patient's quality of life.

PubMed

Truszczyńska, Aleksandra; Rąpała, Kazimierz; Truszczyński, Olaf; Tarnowski, Adam; Łukawski, Stanisław

2013-06-01

The return to work of patients who undergo spinal surgery poses important medical and social challenge. 1) To establish whether patients who undergo spinal stenosis surgery later return to work. 2) To establish the patient's attitude towards employment. 3) To assess the quality of life of the patients and its influence on their attitude to work. The study population consisted of 58 patients aged from 21 to 80 years (the mean age was 52.33±14.12). There were 29 women (50%) and 29 men (50%) in the group. The patients' quality of life was measured by the use of the WHOQOL-BREF instrument. Individual interviews were conducted 3 to 8 months (a mean of 5.72 months ±1.6) after the surgery. 1) Although 13 patients (22.3%) returned to work, 44 (75.9%) did not, these being manual workers of vocational secondary education. 2) Almost half of the patients (27 patients, i.e. 44%) intend to apply for disability pension, 16 patients (27.6%) consider themselves unfit to work, 22 patients (37.9%) do not feel like working again. 3) The quality of life of the patients decreased. Domain scores for the WHOQOL-BREF are transformed to a 0-100 scale. The mean physical health amounted to 60.67 (±16.31), the mean psychological health was 58.78 (±16.01), while the mean social relations with family and friends were 59.91 (±20.69), and the mean environment 59.62 (±12.48). 1) A total of 75% of the patients operated for lumbar spinal stenosis do not return to their preoperative work. Difficulties in returning to work and decreased quality of life are associated with female sex, lower-level education, hard physical work and low income. 2) Physical health, psychological health, social relations and environment decreased to the mean of approximately 60. 3) The quality of life of the patients who did return to work was similar to that of healthy people.

Nurse burnout and the working environment.

PubMed

O'Mahony, Nuria

2011-09-01

This article examines levels of burnout experienced by emergency nurses and the characteristics of their work environment to determine if there is a relationship between the two. A literature review of recent articles on emergency nurses' burnout and contributing factors was undertaken. A quantitative study, in which nurses were asked to indicate the extent of their agreement with a series of statements on burnout and the working environment, was then undertaken, and the results were analysed to ascertain the extent to which the two topic are related. The results indicate that 52 per cent of nurses in an emergency department in Ireland experience high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation, which are significantly related to the nature of their work environment. Improvements to the environment and to education are required to reduce the risk of nurses developing burnout in the future.

Production loss among employees perceiving work environment problems.

PubMed

Lohela-Karlsson, Malin; Hagberg, Jan; Bergström, Gunnar

2015-08-01

The overall aim of this explorative study was to investigate the relationship between factors in the psychosocial work environment and work environment-related production loss. Employees at a Swedish university were invited to answer a workplace questionnaire and were selected for this study if they reported having experienced work environment-related problems in the past 7 days (n = 302). A stepwise logistic regression and a modified Poisson regression were used to identify psychosocial work factors associated with work environment-related production loss as well as to identify at what level those factors are associated with production loss. Employees who reported having experienced work environment problems but also fair leadership, good social climate, role clarity and control of decision had significantly lower levels of production loss, whereas employees who reported inequality and high decision demands reported significantly higher levels of production loss. Never or seldom experiencing fair leadership, role clarity, equality, decision demands and good social climate increase the risk of production loss due to work environment problems, compared to those who experience these circumstances frequently, always or most of the time. Several psychosocial work factors are identified as factors associated with a reduced risk of production losses among employees despite the nature of the work environment problem. Knowledge of these factors may be important not only to reduce employee ill-health and the corresponding health-related production loss, but also reduce immediate production loss due to work environment-related problems.

The impact of the hospital work environment on social support from physicians in breast cancer care.

PubMed

Ansmann, Lena; Wirtz, Markus; Kowalski, Christoph; Pfaff, Holger; Visser, Adriaan; Ernstmann, Nicole

2014-09-01

Research on determinants of a good patient-physician interaction mainly disregards systemic factors, such as the work environment in healthcare. This study aims to identify stressors and resources within the work environment of hospital physicians that enable or hinder the physicians' provision of social support to patients. Four data sources on 35 German breast cancer center hospitals were matched: structured hospital quality reports and surveys of 348 physicians, 108 persons in hospital leadership, and 1844 patients. Associations between hospital structures, physicians' social resources as well as job demands and control and patients' perceived support from physicians have been studied in multilevel models. Patients feel better supported by their physicians in hospitals with high social capital, a high percentage of permanently employed physicians, and less physically strained physicians. The results highlight the importance of the work environment for a good patient-physician interaction. They can be used to develop interventions for redesigning the hospital work environment, which in turn may improve physician satisfaction, well-being, and performance and consequently the quality of care. Health policy and hospital management could create conditions conducive to better patient-physician interaction by strengthening the social capital and by increasing job security for physicians. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinants of Quality of Work Life among Nurses Working in Hawassa Town Public Health Facilities, South Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Belay, Admasu; Woldie, Mirkuzie

2017-01-01

Background A high quality of work life (QWL) is a crucial issue for health care facilities to have qualified, dedicated, and inspired employees. Among different specialties in health care settings, nurses have a major share among other health care providers. So, they should experience a better QWL to deliver high-quality holistic care to those who need help. Objective To assess the level of quality of work life and its predictors among nurses working in Hawassa town public health facilities, South Ethiopia. Methods A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted on 253 nurses of two hospitals and nine health centers. The total sample size was allocated to each facility based on the number of nurses in each facility. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The interitem consistency of the scale used to measure QWL had Cronbach's alpha value of 0.86. A multinomial logistic regression model was fitted to identify significant predictors of quality of work life using SPSS version 20. Results The study showed that 67.2% of the nurses were dissatisfied with the quality of their work life. We found that educational status, monthly income, working unit, and work environment were strong predictors of quality of work life among nurses (p < 0.05). Conclusion Significant proportions of the nurses were dissatisfied with the quality of their work life. The findings in this study and studies reported from elsewhere pinpoint that perception of nurses about the quality of their work life can be modified if health care managers are considerate of the key issues surrounding QWL. PMID:29379654

Determinants of Quality of Work Life among Nurses Working in Hawassa Town Public Health Facilities, South Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Kelbiso, Lolemo; Belay, Admasu; Woldie, Mirkuzie

2017-01-01

A high quality of work life (QWL) is a crucial issue for health care facilities to have qualified, dedicated, and inspired employees. Among different specialties in health care settings, nurses have a major share among other health care providers. So, they should experience a better QWL to deliver high-quality holistic care to those who need help. To assess the level of quality of work life and its predictors among nurses working in Hawassa town public health facilities, South Ethiopia. A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted on 253 nurses of two hospitals and nine health centers. The total sample size was allocated to each facility based on the number of nurses in each facility. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The interitem consistency of the scale used to measure QWL had Cronbach's alpha value of 0.86. A multinomial logistic regression model was fitted to identify significant predictors of quality of work life using SPSS version 20. The study showed that 67.2% of the nurses were dissatisfied with the quality of their work life. We found that educational status, monthly income, working unit, and work environment were strong predictors of quality of work life among nurses ( p < 0.05). Significant proportions of the nurses were dissatisfied with the quality of their work life. The findings in this study and studies reported from elsewhere pinpoint that perception of nurses about the quality of their work life can be modified if health care managers are considerate of the key issues surrounding QWL.

Work environment and health promotion needs among personnel in the faculty of medicine, Thammasat university.

PubMed

Buranatrevedh, Surasak

2013-04-01

Work environment and health promotion needs are important factors for quality of life of workers. Study occupational health and safety hazards and control measures as well as health status and health promotion needs among personnel in Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University. This was a cross sectional study. Questionnaires were designed to collect demographic data, health status, health promotion needs, occupational health and safety hazards, and job demand/control data. Questionnaires were sent out to 181 personnel and 145 were returned filled-out (80.1%). Among them, 42.8% had physical illness or stress, 68.3% had debt problem, 20% had some problems with coworker or work environment, 65.5% had a high workload, and 64.1% felt they did not get enough work benefits. Job demand and control factors included attention from leaders, fast-pace work, relationship among coworkers, repetitive work, hard work, high stress work, and high workload The occupational safety and health system included training to use new equipment, supervisor training, work skill training, work in sitting position for long period of time, appropriate periodic health exam, appropriate medical service, proper canteen, proper salary raise, and facilities for health promotion. In the occupational health hazards, employees were working in low temperature, bright light, and had a lack of health promotion programs. Requested programs to improve quality of life were Thai traditional massage, workplace improvement, health promotion, one-day travel, and Friday's happy and healthy program. Results from the present study can be used to improve workplace environment and health of personnel in the Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University.

The influence of factors of work environment and burnout syndrome on self-efficacy of medical staff.

PubMed

Nowakowska, Iwona; Rasińska, Renata; Głowacka, Maria Danuta

2016-06-02

Conditions of a healthy, friendly and safe work environment and proper work organisation increase self-efficacy and decrease or eliminate the factors causing the occurrence of burnout symptoms, all of which have a decisive impact on increasing the quality of work. The aim of the study was to analyse and assess the influence of factors of work environment and burnout syndrome on the self-efficacy of medical staff. The study comprised randomly selected professionally-active nurses working on hospital wards (N=405) on the area of two provinces in Poland. The study used the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and a questionnaire concerning the factors that influence the process of work organisation at nursing positions in hospitals. Lower scores for self-efficacy resulted in a worse assessment of development opportunities and promotion prospects (r=-0.11), participation in the decision-making process (r=-0.11) and teamwork (r=-0.10). Lower self-efficacy contributed to the occurrence of burnout symptoms r∈[-0.19 - -0.17]. Properly shaped and used organisational factors are stimulating for professional efficiency and effectiveness, and consequently, for the quality of nursing work. Negative assessment of the factors in the work environment contributes to the occurrence of burnout symptoms and decrease in self-efficacy. Nurses with lower self-efficacy more often experienced symptoms of burnout.

Home Health Agency Work Environments and Hospitalizations

PubMed Central

Flynn, Linda; Lake, Eileen T.; Aiken, Linda H.

2014-01-01

Background: An important goal of home health care is to assist patients to remain in community living arrangements. Yet home care often fails to prevent hospitalizations and to facilitate discharges to community living, thus putting patients at risk of additional health challenges and increasing care costs. Objectives: To determine the relationship between home health agency work environments and agency-level rates of acute hospitalization and discharges to community living. Methods and Design: Analysis of linked Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Home Health Compare data and nurse survey data from 118 home health agencies. Robust regression models were used to estimate the effect of work environment ratings on between-agency variation in rates of acute hospitalization and community discharge. Results: Home health agencies with good work environments had lower rates of acute hospitalizations and higher rates of patient discharges to community living arrangements compared with home health agencies with poor work environments. Conclusion: Improved work environments in home health agencies hold promise for optimizing patient outcomes and reducing use of expensive hospital and institutional care. PMID:25215647

Home health agency work environments and hospitalizations.

PubMed

Jarrín, Olga; Flynn, Linda; Lake, Eileen T; Aiken, Linda H

2014-10-01

An important goal of home health care is to assist patients to remain in community living arrangements. Yet home care often fails to prevent hospitalizations and to facilitate discharges to community living, thus putting patients at risk of additional health challenges and increasing care costs. To determine the relationship between home health agency work environments and agency-level rates of acute hospitalization and discharges to community living. Analysis of linked Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Home Health Compare data and nurse survey data from 118 home health agencies. Robust regression models were used to estimate the effect of work environment ratings on between-agency variation in rates of acute hospitalization and community discharge. Home health agencies with good work environments had lower rates of acute hospitalizations and higher rates of patient discharges to community living arrangements compared with home health agencies with poor work environments. Improved work environments in home health agencies hold promise for optimizing patient outcomes and reducing use of expensive hospital and institutional care.

Effect of Practice Ownership on Work Environment, Learning Culture, Psychological Safety, and Burnout.

PubMed

Cuellar, Alison; Krist, Alex H; Nichols, Len M; Kuzel, Anton J

2018-04-01

Physicians have joined larger groups and hospital systems in the face of multiple environmental challenges. We examine whether there are differences across practice ownership in self-reported work environment, a practice culture of learning, psychological safety, and burnout. Using cross-sectional data from staff surveys of small and medium-size practices that participated in EvidenceNOW in Virginia, we tested for differences in work environment, culture of learning, psychological safety, and burnout by practice type. We conducted weighted multivariate linear regression of outcomes on ownership, controlling for practice size, specialty mix, payer mix, and whether the practice was located in a medically underserved area. We further analyzed clinician and staff responses separately. Participating were 104 hospital-owned and 61 independent practices and 24 federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). We analyzed 2,005 responses from practice clinicians and staff, a response rate of 49%. Working in a hospital-owned practice was associated with favorable ratings of work environment, psychological safety, and burnout compared with independent practices. When we examined separately the responses of clinicians vs staff, however, the association appears to be largely driven by staff. Hospital ownership was associated with positive perceptions of practice work environment and lower burnout for staff relative to independent ownership, whereas clinicians in FQHCs perceive a more negative, less joyful work environment and burnout. Our findings are suggestive that clinician and nonclinician staff perceive practice adaptive reserve differently, which may have implications for creating the energy for ongoing quality improvement work. © 2018 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index: An updated review and recommendations for use.

PubMed

Swiger, Pauline A; Patrician, Patricia A; Miltner, Rebecca S Susie; Raju, Dheeraj; Breckenridge-Sproat, Sara; Loan, Lori A

2017-09-01

The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) is an instrument, which measures the nursing practice environment - defined as factors that enhance or attenuate a nurse's ability to practice nursing skillfully and deliver high quality care. The purpose of this paper is to provide an updated review of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index's use to date and provide recommendations that may be helpful to nursing leaders and researchers who plan to use this instrument. A narrative review of quantitative studies. PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature were searched to identify relevant literature using the search terms, Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index and PES-NWI. Studies were included if they were published in English between 2010 and 2016 and focused on the relationship between the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index and patient, nurse, or organizational outcomes. Data extraction focused on the reported survey scores and the significance and strength of the reported associations. Forty-six articles, from 28 countries, were included in this review. The majority reported significant findings between the nursing practice environment and outcomes. Although some modifications have been made, the instrument has remained primarily unchanged since its development. Most often, the scores regarding staffing and resource adequacy remained the lowest. The frequency of use of this instrument has remained high. Many researchers advocate for a move beyond the study of the connection between the Practice Environment Scale and nurse, patient, and organizational outcomes. Research should shift toward identifying interventions that improve the environment in which nurses practice and determining if changing the environment results in improved care quality. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Why Quality of Work Life Doesn't Always Mean Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Deborah Shaw

1981-01-01

From participatory management to autonomous work groups, the quality of work life movement has made an impact on U.S. corporations. To make the quality of work life connection, commitment must originate with top management. (Author)

Environment-friendly cycle time optimization and quality improvisation using Six Sigma.

PubMed

Deshpande, V S; Mungle, N P

2008-07-01

Healthy environment in any organization can make a difference in improving productivity and quality with low defect, lack of concentration, willingness to work, minimum accidental problems etc. Six Sigma is one of the more recent quality improvement initiatives to gain popularity and acceptance in many industries across the globe. It is an alternative to TQM to obtain minimum manufacturing defect, cycle time reduction, cost reduction, inventory reduction etc. Its use is increasingly widespread in many industries, in both manufacturing and service industries with many proponents of the approach claiming that it has developed beyond a quality control approach into a broader process improvement concept.

Psychologically mediated effects of the physical healthcare environment on work-related outcomes of healthcare personnel.

PubMed

Tanja-Dijkstra, Karin; Pieterse, Marcel E

2010-12-08

The physical healthcare environment is capable of affecting patients. This concept of 'healing environments' refers to the psychological impact of environmental stimuli through sensory perceptions. It excludes more physiological effects such as those produced by ergonomic (i.e. fall prevention) or facilitative (i.e. hygiene-related) variables. The importance of an atmosphere in the healthcare environment that promotes the health and well-being of patients is evident, but this environment should not negatively affect healthcare personnel. The physical healthcare environment is part of the personnel's 'workscape'. This can make the environment an important determinant of subjective work-related outcomes like job satisfaction and well-being, as well as of objective outcomes like absenteeism or quality of care. In order to effectively build or renovate healthcare facilities, it is necessary to pay attention to the needs of both patients and healthcare personnel. To assess the psychological effects of the physical healthcare environment on healthcare personnel. We searched the Cochrane EPOC Group Specialised Register; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; Database of Abstracts and Reviews of Effects; MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; Civil Engineering Database and Compendex. We also searched the reference lists of included studies. We included randomised controlled trials (RCT), controlled clinical trials (CCT), controlled before and after studies (CBA), and interrupted time series (ITS) of psychological effects of the physical healthcare environment interventions for healthcare staff. The outcomes included measures of job satisfaction, satisfaction with the physical healthcare environment, quality of life, and quality of care. Two reviewers independently assessed studies for eligibility, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality. We identified one study, which adopted a CBA study design to investigate the simultaneous effects of multiple environmental

The Health Effects of a Forest Environment on Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease and Heath-Related Quality of Life

PubMed Central

Tsao, Tsung-Ming; Wang, Ya-Nan; Lin, Heng-Lun; Wu, Chang-Fu; Hwang, Jing-Shiang; Hsu, Sandy-H.J.; Chao, Hsing; Chuang, Kai-Jen; Chou, Charles- CK.

2014-01-01

Background Assessment of health effects of a forest environment is an important emerging area of public health and environmental sciences. Purpose To demonstrate the long-term health effects of living in a forest environment on subclinical cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) compared with that in an urban environment. Materials and Methods This study included the detailed health examination and questionnaire assessment of 107 forest staff members (FSM) and 114 urban staff members (USM) to investigate the long-term health effects of a forest environment. Air quality monitoring between the forest and urban environments was compared. In addition, work-related factors and HRQOL were evaluated. Results Levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting glucose in the USM group were significantly higher than those in the FSM group. Furthermore, a significantly higher intima-media thickness of the internal carotid artery was found in the USM group compared with that in the FSM group. Concentrations of air pollutants, such as NO, NO2, NOx, SO2, CO, PM2.5, and PM10 in the forest environment were significantly lower compared with those in the outdoor urban environment. Working hours were longer in the FSM group; however, the work stress evaluation as assessed by the job content questionnaire revealed no significant differences between FSM and USM. HRQOL evaluated by the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire showed FSM had better HRQOL scores in the physical health domain. Conclusions This study provides evidence of the potential beneficial effects of forest environments on CVDs and HRQOL. PMID:25068265

The health effects of a forest environment on subclinical cardiovascular disease and heath-related quality of life.

PubMed

Tsao, Tsung-Ming; Tsai, Ming-Jer; Wang, Ya-Nan; Lin, Heng-Lun; Wu, Chang-Fu; Hwang, Jing-Shiang; Hsu, Sandy-H J; Chao, Hsing; Chuang, Kai-Jen; Chou, Charles-C K; Su, Ta-Chen

2014-01-01

Assessment of health effects of a forest environment is an important emerging area of public health and environmental sciences. To demonstrate the long-term health effects of living in a forest environment on subclinical cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) compared with that in an urban environment. This study included the detailed health examination and questionnaire assessment of 107 forest staff members (FSM) and 114 urban staff members (USM) to investigate the long-term health effects of a forest environment. Air quality monitoring between the forest and urban environments was compared. In addition, work-related factors and HRQOL were evaluated. Levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting glucose in the USM group were significantly higher than those in the FSM group. Furthermore, a significantly higher intima-media thickness of the internal carotid artery was found in the USM group compared with that in the FSM group. Concentrations of air pollutants, such as NO, NO2, NOx, SO2, CO, PM2.5, and PM10 in the forest environment were significantly lower compared with those in the outdoor urban environment. Working hours were longer in the FSM group; however, the work stress evaluation as assessed by the job content questionnaire revealed no significant differences between FSM and USM. HRQOL evaluated by the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire showed FSM had better HRQOL scores in the physical health domain. This study provides evidence of the potential beneficial effects of forest environments on CVDs and HRQOL.

Leadership styles and outcome patterns for the nursing workforce and work environment: A systematic review.

PubMed

Cummings, Greta G; Tate, Kaitlyn; Lee, Sarah; Wong, Carol A; Paananen, Tanya; Micaroni, Simone P M; Chatterjee, Gargi E

2018-05-03

Leadership is critical in building quality work environments, implementing new models of care, and bringing health and wellbeing to a strained nursing workforce. However, the nature of leadership style, how leadership should be enacted, and its associated outcomes requires further research and understanding. We aimed to examine the relationships between various styles of leadership and outcomes for the nursing workforce and their work environments. The search strategy of this systematic review included 10 electronic databases. Published, quantitative studies that examined the correlations between leadership behaviours and nursing outcomes were included. Quality assessments, data extractions and analysis were completed on all included studies by independent reviewers. A total of 50,941 titles and abstracts were screened resulting in 129 included studies. Using content analysis, 121 outcomes were grouped into six categories: 1) staff satisfaction with job factors, 2) staff relationships with work, 3) staff health & wellbeing, 4) relations among staff, 5) organizational environment factors and 6) productivity & effectiveness. Our analysis illuminated patterns between relational and task focused leadership styles and their outcomes for nurses and nursing work environments. For example, 52 studies reported that relational leadership styles were associated with higher nurse job satisfaction, whereas 16 studies found that task-focused leadership styles were associated with lower nurse job satisfaction. Similar trends were found for each category of outcomes. The findings of this systematic review provide strong support for the employment of relational leadership styles to promote positive nursing workforce outcomes and related organizational outcomes. Leadership focused solely on task completion is insufficient to achieve optimum outcomes for the nursing workforce. Relational leadership practices need to be encouraged and supported by individuals and organizations to

Association of nurse work environment and safety climate on patient mortality: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Olds, Danielle M; Aiken, Linda H; Cimiotti, Jeannie P; Lake, Eileen T

2017-09-01

There are two largely distinct research literatures on the association of the nurse work environment and the safety climate on patient outcomes. To determine whether hospital safety climate and work environment make comparable or distinct contributions to patient mortality. Cross-sectional secondary analysis of linked datasets of Registered Nurse survey responses, adult acute care discharge records, and hospital characteristics. Acute care hospitals in California, Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The sample included 600 hospitals linked to 27,009 nurse survey respondents and 852,974 surgical patients. Nurse survey data included assessments of the nurse work environment and hospital safety climate. The outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. Data analyses included descriptive statistics and multivariate random intercept logistic regression. In a fully adjusted model, a one standard deviation increase in work environment score was associated with an 8.1% decrease in the odds of mortality (OR 0.919, p<0.001). A one-standard deviation increase in safety climate score was similarly associated with a 7.7% decrease in the odds of mortality (OR 0.923, p<0.001). However, when work environment and safety climate were modeled together, the effect of the work environment remained significant, while safety climate became a non-significant predictor of mortality odds (OR 0.940, p=0.035 vs. OR 0.971, p=0.316). We found that safety climate perception is not predictive of patient mortality beyond the effect of the nurse work environment. To advance hospital safety and quality and improve patient outcomes, organizational interventions should be directed toward improving nurse work environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The health care work environment and adverse health and safety consequences for nurses.

PubMed

Geiger-Brown, Jeanne; Lipscomb, Jane

2010-01-01

Nurses' working conditions are inextricably linked to the quality of care that is provided to patients and patients' safety. These same working conditions are associated with health and safety outcomes for nurses and other health care providers. This chapter describes aspects of the nursing work environment that have been linked to hazards and adverse exposures for nurses, as well as the most common health and safety outcomes of nursing work. We include studies from 2000 to the present by nurse researchers, studies of nurses as subjects, and studies of workers under similar working conditions that could translate to nurses' work environment. We explore a number of work organization factors including shift work and extended work hours, safety climate and culture, teamwork, and communication. We also describe environmental hazards, including chemical hazards (e.g., waste anesthetics, hazardous drugs, cleaning compounds) and airborne and bloodborne pathogen exposure. Nurses' health and safety outcomes include physical (e.g., musculoskeletal disorders, gastrointestinal, slips, trips and falls, physical assault) and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., burnout, work-family conflict). Finally, we present recommendations for future research to further protect nurses and all health care workers from a range of hazardous working conditions.

Canadian oncology nurse work environments: part II.

PubMed

Bakker, Debra; Conlon, Michael; Fitch, Margaret; Green, Esther; Butler, Lorna; Olson, Karin; Cummings, Greta

2012-03-01

In the aftermath of healthcare restructuring, it is important to pay attention to nurses' perceptions of workplace and professional practice factors that attract nurses and influence their retention. Continuing constraints on cancer care systems make the issue of health human resources an ongoing priority. This paper presents the findings of a follow-up study of a cohort of Canadian oncology nurses that aimed to compare nurses' perceptions of their work environment, job satisfaction and retention over a two-year period. Participants of the follow-up survey represented 65% (397/615) of the initial cohort. Many similar perceptions about the work environment were found over two years; however, at follow-up a larger proportion of nurses reported an absence of enough RNs to provide quality care and a lack of support for innovative ideas. With respect to career status, only 6% (25/397) of the follow-up sample had left oncology nursing. However, the proportion of nurses declaring an intention to leave their current job increased from 6.4% (39/615) on the initial survey to 26% (102/397) on the follow-up survey. Findings suggest that decision-makers need to use both the growing body of workplace knowledge and the input from staff nurses to implement changes that positively influence nurse recruitment and retention. Future research should focus on the implementation and evaluation of strategies that address workplace issues such as nurse staffing adequacy, leadership and organizational commitment.

Work environment investments: outcomes from three cases.

PubMed

Rydell, Alexis; Andersson, Ing-Marie

2017-09-27

Work environment investments are important in order to create a healthy and safe workplace. This article presents findings from a seven-step interventions process aimed at examining and following-up work environment investments in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on air contaminants. Three different cases were analyzed and included in the study: (a) an educational center for welding; (b) a paint station in furniture manufacturing; (c) a joinery in furniture manufacturing. The results show that the work environment investments were highly appreciated by the employees and managers, but at the same time the investment could be optimized through markedly decreased exposure levels for the worker. Factors such as follow-ups of the investment, education and training in how to use the equipment, worker involvement in the process and leadership engagement are important in order to optimize work environment investments.

The quality of hospital work environments and missed nursing care is linked to heart failure readmissions: a cross-sectional study of US hospitals

PubMed Central

Carthon, J Margo Brooks; Lasater, Karen B; Sloane, Douglas M; Kutney-Lee, Ann

2015-01-01

Introduction Threats to quality and patient safety may exist when necessary nursing care is omitted. Empirical research is needed to determine how missed nursing care is associated with patient outcomes. Aim The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between missed nursing care and hospital readmissions. Methods Cross-sectional examination, using three linked data sources—(1) nurse survey, (2) patient discharge data from three states (California, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) and (3) administrative hospital data— from 2005 to 2006. We explored the incidence of 30-day readmission for 160 930 patients with heart failure in 419 acute care hospitals in the USA. Logistic regression was used to assess the effect of missed care on the odds of readmission, adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics. Results The most frequently missed nursing care activities across all hospitals in our sample included talking to and comforting patients (42.0%), developing and updating care plans (35.8%) and educating patients and families (31.5%). For 4 of the 10 studied care activities, each 10 percentage-point increase in the number of nurses reporting having missed the activity was associated with an increase in the odds of readmission by 2–8% after adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics. However, missed nursing care was no longer a significant predictor of readmission once adjusting for the nurse work environment, except in the case of the delivery of treatments and procedures (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.14). Conclusions Missed care is an independent predictor of heart failure readmissions. However, once adjusting for the quality of the nurse work environment, this relationship is attenuated. Improvements in nurses’ working conditions may be one strategy to reduce care omissions and improve patient outcomes. PMID:25672342

The experience of demanding work environments in younger workers.

PubMed

Winding, T N; Labriola, M; Nohr, E A; Andersen, J H

2015-06-01

Investigating whether certain individual or background characteristics are associated with an increased risk of experiencing an excessively demanding work environment in younger workers may help to reduce future inequality in health and maximize their labour market participation. To describe the work environment of Danish 20- to 21-year olds and to investigate the influence of family socioeconomic background and individual characteristics at age 14-15 on later experience of physical and psychosocial work environments. We obtained information on subjects' school performance, vulnerability, health and parental socioeconomic status from registers and a questionnaire completed in 2004. A questionnaire concerning eight measures of subjects' psychosocial and physical work environment in 2010 was used to determine the outcomes of interest. The study population consisted of 679 younger workers aged 20-21. The psychosocial work environment was in general good but younger workers experienced more demanding physical work than the general working population. Overall, individual as well as family factors had a limited impact on their assessment of the work environment. Low self-esteem at age 14-15 was associated with experiencing high demands and lack of trust and fairness at work, whereas low parental socioeconomic status was associated with a demanding physical work environment. This study showed a social gradient in experiencing a demanding physical work environment at age 20-21. The psychosocial work environment experienced by younger workers was generally good, but vulnerable young people may need special attention to protect them from or prepare them for psychosocially demanding jobs later in life. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Work, work environments and other factors influencing nurse faculty intention to remain employed: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Tourangeau, Ann; Saari, Margaret; Patterson, Erin; Ferron, Era Mae; Thomson, Heather; Widger, Kimberley; MacMillan, Kathleen

2014-06-01

Given the role nurse faculty have in educating nurses, little is known about what influences their intention to remain employed (ITR) in academic settings. Findings from a nurse faculty survey administered to test a conceptual model of factors hypothesized as influencing nurse faculty ITR are reported. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. We included colleges and universities in Ontario, Canada. The population of Ontario nurse faculty who reported being employed as nurse faculty with the College of Nurses of Ontario (Canada) was included. Of the 1328 nurse faculty who were surveyed, 650 participated. Participants completed a questionnaire with measures of work, work environment, job satisfaction, burnout and ITR. Regression analyses were conducted to test the model. Ten of 26 independent variables explained 25.4% of variance in nurse faculty ITR for five years. These variables included: proximity to retirement, quality of relationships with colleagues, being employed full time, having dependents, satisfaction with work-life balance, quality of education, satisfaction with job status, access to financial support for education from organization, access to required human resources and being unionized. Although not all influencing factors are modifiable, academic leadership should develop strategies that encourage nurse faculty ITR. Strategies that support collegial relationships among faculty, increase the number of full time positions, promote work-life balance, engage faculty in assessing and strengthening education quality, support faculty choice between full-time and part-time work, and ensure adequate human resources required to teach effectively will lead to heightened nurse faculty ITR. © 2013.

[Working environment measurement of radioactive substances].

PubMed

Kunugita, Naoki

2007-12-01

The control of the working environment is one of the most important duties in any working place to prevent occupational disease. In Japan, in the case of the controlled area using unsealed radioisotopes, the measurement of the concentration of airborne radioactive substances should be carried out under the regulations of the "Industrial Safety and Health Law" and the "Ordinance on Prevention of Ionizing Radiation Hazards". Many reports showed that the results of regular working environment measurements of radioactive substances were about background levels. Safe working environments are sufficiently guaranteed by a suitable estimation and handling under the strict regulation by the "Laws Concerning the Prevention from Radiation Hazards Due to Radioisotopes and Others". The regulation by "Ordinance on Prevention of Ionizing Radiation Hazards" would be relaxed in the field of education and research, which use very low quantities of radioactive substances, in ways such as estimation by calculation in place of the actual measurement, decrease of the number of monthly measurements, and measurement exemption for low levels of isotopes.

Effect of meal environment on diet quality rating.

PubMed

Woodruff, Sarah J; Hanning, Rhona M

2009-01-01

Family meals have been associated with improved dietary quality in children and adolescents, and yet very little is known about family meals beyond their frequency. Specific aspects of the breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal environments were described and compared, and the associations with overall diet quality were investigated. Data on food intake and meal environments were obtained in northern Ontario, southern Ontario, and Nova Scotia grades six, seven, and eight classrooms over the 2005 to 2006 school year. Specific aspects of the meal environments described were where the meal was consumed, with whom participants consumed each meal, who prepared the meal, and where the food was originally purchased. Diet quality was assessed using the Canadian version of the Healthy Eating Index. Cluster K-means procedures were used to classify into groups observations about the four meal environment variables. Three, eight, and six clusters of meal environments were identified for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, respectively. Diet quality was negatively associated with consuming/ purchasing meals outside the home, and with skipping breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. Results have immediate relevance for family-based and/or school programs and policies aimed at educating and feeding children and adolescents.

Do interruptions affect quality of work?

PubMed

Foroughi, Cyrus K; Werner, Nicole E; Nelson, Erik T; Boehm-Davis, Deborah A

2014-11-01

The aim of this study was to determine if interruptions affect the quality of work. Interruptions are commonplace at home and in the office. Previous research in this area has traditionally involved time and errors as the primary measures of disruption. Little is known about the effect interruptions have on quality of work. Fifty-four students outlined and wrote three essays using a within-subjects design. During Condition 1, interruptions occurred while participants were outlining. During Condition 2, interruptions occurred while they were writing. No interruptions occurred in Condition 3. Quality of work was significantly reduced in both interruption conditions when compared to the non-interruption condition. The number of words produced was significantly reduced when participants were interrupted while writing the essay but not when outlining the essay. This research represents a crucial first step in understanding the effect interruptions have on quality of work. Our research suggests that interruptions negatively impact quality of work during a complex, creative writing task. Since interruptions are such a prevalent part of daily life, more research needs to be conducted to determine what other tasks are negatively impacted. Moreover, the underlying mechanism(s) causing these decrements needs to be identified. Finally, strategies and systems need to be designed and put in place to help counteract the decline in quality of work caused by interruptions.

The intelligent OR: design and validation of a context-aware surgical working environment.

PubMed

Franke, Stefan; Rockstroh, Max; Hofer, Mathias; Neumuth, Thomas

2018-05-24

Interoperability of medical devices based on standards starts to establish in the operating room (OR). Devices share their data and control functionalities. Yet, the OR technology rarely implements cooperative, intelligent behavior, especially in terms of active cooperation with the OR team. Technical context-awareness will be an essential feature of the next generation of medical devices to address the increasing demands to clinicians in information seeking, decision making, and human-machine interaction in complex surgical working environments. The paper describes the technical validation of an intelligent surgical working environment for endoscopic ear-nose-throat surgery. We briefly summarize the design of our framework for context-aware system's behavior in integrated OR and present example realizations of novel assistance functionalities. In a study on patient phantoms, twenty-four procedures were implemented in the proposed intelligent surgical working environment based on recordings of real interventions. Subsequently, the whole processing pipeline for context-awareness from workflow recognition to the final system's behavior is analyzed. Rule-based behavior that considers multiple perspectives on the procedure can partially compensate recognition errors. A considerable robustness could be achieved with a reasonable quality of the recognition. Overall, reliable reactive as well as proactive behavior of the surgical working environment can be implemented in the proposed environment. The obtained validation results indicate the suitability of the overall approach. The setup is a reliable starting point for a subsequent evaluation of the proposed context-aware assistance. The major challenge for future work will be to implement the complex approach in a cross-vendor setting.

Productivity at work and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

van Vilsteren, Myrthe; Boot, Cecile R L; Knol, Dirk L; van Schaardenburg, Dirkjan; Voskuyl, Alexandre E; Steenbeek, Romy; Anema, Johannes R

2015-05-06

The aim of this study was to determine which combination of personal, disease-related and environmental factors is best associated with at-work productivity loss in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to determine whether at-work productivity loss is associated with the quality of life for these patients. This study is based on cross-sectional data. Patients completed a questionnaire with personal, disease-related and environmental factors (related to the work environment), and clinical characteristics were obtained from patient medical records. At-work productivity loss was measured with the Work Limitations Questionnaire, and quality of life with the RAND 36. Using linear regression analyses, a multivariate model was built containing the combination of factors best associated with at-work productivity loss. This model was cross-validated internally. We furthermore determined whether at-work productivity loss was associated with quality of life using linear regression analyses. We found that at-work productivity loss was associated with workers who had poorer mental health, more physical role limitations, were ever treated with a biological therapeutic medication, were not satisfied with their work, and had more work instability (R(2) = 0.50 and R(2) following cross-validation was 0.32). We found that at-work productivity loss was negatively associated with health-related quality of life, especially with dimensions of mental health, physical role limitations, and pain. We found that at-work productivity loss was associated with personal, work-related, and clinical factors. Although our study results should be interpreted with caution, they provide insight into patients with RA who are at risk for at-work productivity loss.

Work-related threats and violence in human service sectors: The importance of the psycho-social work environment examined in a multilevel prospective study.

PubMed

Andersen, Lars Peter; Hogh, Annie; Biering, Karin; Gadegaard, Charlotte Ann

2018-01-01

Threats and violence at work are major concerns for employees in many human service sectors. The prevention of work-related violence is a major challenge for employees and management. The purpose of this study was to identify prospective associations between psycho-social work environment and work-related threats and violence in four high risk human service sectors. Questionnaire data was collected from 3011 employees working at psychiatric wards, in the elder sector, in the Prison and Probation Service and at Special Schools. Associations between psycho-social work environment and work-related violence and threats were then studied using a one-year follow-up design and multilevel logistic regression analyses. The analyses showed that quantitative demands, high emotional demands, low level of influence over own work-situation, low predictability, low rewards at work, low role clarity, many role conflicts, many work-family conflicts and low organizational justice had statistically significant associations with high levels of work-related threats. Furthermore, high emotional demands, low predictability, low role clarity, many role conflicts, many work-family conflicts, low supervisor quality and low support from nearest supervisor had statistically significant associations with high levels of work-related violence. Finally, across the four sectors both similar and different associations between psycho-social work environment and work-related violence and threats were found. The results of the study underline the importance of including the psycho-social work environment as a supplement to existing violence prevention methods and interventions aimed at reducing work-related violence and threats.

Authentic leadership, organizational culture, and healthy work environments.

PubMed

Shirey, Maria R

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to showcase the relationship among authentic leadership, organizational culture, and healthy work environments using a stress and coping lens. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted to determine what situations contribute to nurse manager stress, what coping strategies they utilize, what health outcomes they report, and what decision-making processes they follow to address stressful situations in their roles. A purposive sample of 21 nurse managers employed at 3 US acute care hospitals completed a demographic questionnaire and 14-question interview incorporating components of the Critical Decision Method. A secondary analysis of the data was conducted to identify differences in nurse manager narratives based upon differences in the organizational cultures where the managers worked. Of the 21 nurse managers studied, differences were evident in the organizational cultures reported. Nurse managers working in the positive organizational cultures (n = 12) generally worked in healthy work environments and engaged in more authentic leadership behaviors. Conversely, nurse managers working in the negative organizational cultures (n = 9) worked in unhealthy work environments and reported less optimism and more challenges engaging in authentic leadership practices. Organizational culture and leadership matter in creating and sustaining healthy work environments. Nurse managers play a pivotal role in creating these environments, yet they need supportive structures and resources to more effectively execute their roles.

Health care work environments, employee satisfaction, and patient safety: Care provider perspectives.

PubMed

Rathert, Cheryl; May, Douglas R

2007-01-01

Experts continue to decry the lack of progress made in decreasing the alarming frequency of medical errors in health care organizations (Leape, L. L., & Berwick, D. M. (2005). Five years after to err is human: What have we learned?. Journal of the American Medical Association, 293(19), 2384-2390). At the same time, other experts are concerned about the lack of job satisfaction and turnover among nurses (. Keeping patients safe: Transforming the work environment of nurses. Washington, DC: National Academy Press). Research and theory suggest that a work environment that facilitates patient-centered care should increase patient safety and nurse satisfaction. The present study began with a conceptual model that specifies how work environment variables should be related to both nurse and patient outcomes. Specifically, we proposed that health care work units with climates for patient-centered care should have nurses who are more satisfied with their jobs. Such units should also have higher levels of patient safety, with fewer medication errors. We examined perceptions of nurses from three acute care hospitals in the eastern United States. Nurses who perceived their work units as more patient centered were significantly more satisfied with their jobs than were those whose units were perceived as less patient centered. Those whose work units were more patient centered reported that medication errors occurred less frequently in their units and said that they felt more comfortable reporting errors and near-misses than those in less patient-centered units. Patients and quality leaders continue to call for delivery of patient-centered care. If climates that facilitate such care are also related to improved patient safety and nurse satisfaction, proactive, patient-centered management of the work environment could result in improved patient, employee, and organizational outcomes.

Psychosocial work environment and retirement age: a prospective study of 1876 senior employees.

PubMed

Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Jensen, Per H; Bjørner, Jakob Bue

2016-08-01

Retention of senior employees is a challenge for most developed countries. We aimed to identify psychosocial work environment factors of importance for the retention of older employees by evaluating the association between the psychosocial work environment and voluntary early retirement in a longitudinal study. Data about work environment, health, and background factors came from the DANES 2008 questionnaire survey. We followed members of the Danish early retirement scheme for up to 4 years in national registers-focusing on the age range, 60-64 years, where early retirement was possible. We used Cox proportional hazard regression to analyze the rate of early retirement. The study included 16 psychosocial work environment factors. The following 10 psychosocial factors were significant predictors of early retirement in covariate adjusted analyses: Low job satisfaction, low influence in job, low possibilities for development, low role clarity, perceived age discrimination, low recognition from management, low workplace justice, poor trust in management, poor leadership quality, and poor predictability. No significant association with early retirement was found for work pace, quantitative demands, emotional demands, role conflicts, social community between colleagues, and trust between colleagues. Older employees with high job satisfaction, influence, possibilities for development, positive management relations, and jobs with no age discrimination remained longer at the labor market. However, we found no evidence that low demands or good relations between colleagues could influence older employees' decision on early retirement.

Differences in work environment for staff as an explanation for variation in central line bundle compliance in intensive care units.

PubMed

Lee, Yuna S H; Stone, Patricia W; Pogorzelska-Maziarz, Monika; Nembhard, Ingrid M

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a common and costly quality problem, and their prevention is a national priority. A decade ago, researchers identified an evidence-based bundle of practices that reduce CLABSIs. Compliance with this bundle remains low in many hospitals. The aim of this study was to assess whether differences in core aspects of work environments-workload, quality of relationships, and prioritization of quality-are associated with variation in maximal CLABSI bundle compliance, that is, compliance 95%-100% of the time in intensive care units (ICUs). A cross-sectional study of hospital medical-surgical ICUs in the United States was done. Data on work environment and bundle compliance were obtained from the Prevention of Nosocomial Infections and Cost-Effectiveness Refined Survey completed in 2011 by infection prevention directors, and data on ICU and hospital characteristics were obtained from the National Healthcare Safety Network. Factor and multilevel regression analyses were conducted. Reasonable workload and prioritization of quality were positively associated with maximal CLABSI bundle compliance. High-quality relationships, although a significant predictor when evaluated apart from workload and prioritization of quality, had no significant effect after accounting for these two factors. Aspects of the staff work environment are associated with maximal CLABSI bundle compliance in ICUs. Our results suggest that hospitals can foster improvement in ensuring maximal CLABSI bundle compliance-a crucial precursor to reducing CLABSI infection rates-by establishing reasonable workloads and prioritizing quality.

Screening the working environment in outdoor pig systems.

PubMed

Geng, Q; Torén, A; Salomon, E

2009-07-01

This study investigated how well organic growing-fattening pig systems provided a safe and healthy working environment and identified areas where improvements are needed. The study formed part of a larger project aimed at identifying strategies for creating a good animal and working environment and resource-efficient nutrient management in outdoor pig systems. Field studies were carried out at six Swedish farms in two types of outdoor pig systems (mobile and stationary). A method known as WEST (Work Environment Screening Tool) and a modified version of WEST, called WEST-agriculture (WEST-AG), were utilized for screening. Together, the two methods covered six factors of the working environment. The results were expressed in WEST-AG points and WEST points, an economic measure of the risk of impacts on health and productivity expressed as Swedish Krona (SEK) per thousand working hours. The results demonstrated that the risk of injury and ergonomic load during manual feeding and watering was much higher than during semi-automatic feeding and watering at farms with the mobile system. The study also identified other health-risk areas and provided valuable information for further improvement of the working environment in different outdoor pig systems.

Review article: Staff perception of the emergency department working environment: Integrative review of the literature

PubMed Central

Abraham, Louisa; Greenslade, Jaimi; Thom, Ogilvie; Carlstrom, Eric; Wallis, Marianne; Crilly, Julia

2016-01-01

Abstract Employees in EDs report increasing role overload because of critical staff shortages, budgetary cuts and increased patient numbers and acuity. Such overload could compromise staff satisfaction with their working environment. This integrative review identifies, synthesises and evaluates current research around staff perceptions of the working conditions in EDs. A systematic search of relevant databases, using MeSH descriptors ED/EDs, Emergency room/s, ER/s, or A&E coupled with (and) working environment, working condition/s, staff perception/s, as well as reference chaining was conducted. We identified 31 key studies that were evaluated using the mixed methods assessment tool (MMAT). These comprised 24 quantitative‐descriptive studies, four mixed descriptive/comparative (non‐randomised controlled trial) studies and three qualitative studies. Studies included varied widely in quality with MMAT scores ranging from 0% to 100%. A key finding was that perceptions of working environment varied across clinical staff and study location, but that high levels of autonomy and teamwork offset stress around high pressure and high volume workloads. The large range of tools used to assess staff perception of working environment limits the comparability of the studies. A dearth of intervention studies around enhancing working environments in EDs limits the capacity to recommend evidence‐based interventions to improve staff morale. © 2016 The Authors. Emergency Medicine Australasia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine PMID:26784282

Mothers adjust offspring sex to match the quality of the rearing environment

PubMed Central

Pryke, Sarah R.; Rollins, Lee A.

2012-01-01

Theory predicts that mothers should adjust offspring sex ratios when the expected fitness gains or rearing costs differ between sons and daughters. Recent empirical work has linked biased offspring sex ratios to environmental quality via changes in relative maternal condition. It is unclear, however, whether females can manipulate offspring sex ratios in response to environmental quality alone (i.e. independent of maternal condition). We used a balanced within-female experimental design (i.e. females bred on both low- and high-quality diets) to show that female parrot finches (Erythrura trichroa) manipulate primary offspring sex ratios to the quality of the rearing environment, and not to their own body condition and health. Individual females produced an unbiased sex ratio on high-quality diets, but over-produced sons in poor dietary conditions, even though they maintained similar condition between diet treatments. Despite the lack of sexual size dimorphism, such sex ratio adjustment is in line with predictions from sex allocation theory because nutritionally stressed foster sons were healthier, grew faster and were more likely to survive than daughters. These findings suggest that mothers may adaptively adjust offspring sex ratios to optimally match their offspring to the expected quality of the rearing environment. PMID:22859597

Mothers adjust offspring sex to match the quality of the rearing environment.

PubMed

Pryke, Sarah R; Rollins, Lee A

2012-10-07

Theory predicts that mothers should adjust offspring sex ratios when the expected fitness gains or rearing costs differ between sons and daughters. Recent empirical work has linked biased offspring sex ratios to environmental quality via changes in relative maternal condition. It is unclear, however, whether females can manipulate offspring sex ratios in response to environmental quality alone (i.e. independent of maternal condition). We used a balanced within-female experimental design (i.e. females bred on both low- and high-quality diets) to show that female parrot finches (Erythrura trichroa) manipulate primary offspring sex ratios to the quality of the rearing environment, and not to their own body condition and health. Individual females produced an unbiased sex ratio on high-quality diets, but over-produced sons in poor dietary conditions, even though they maintained similar condition between diet treatments. Despite the lack of sexual size dimorphism, such sex ratio adjustment is in line with predictions from sex allocation theory because nutritionally stressed foster sons were healthier, grew faster and were more likely to survive than daughters. These findings suggest that mothers may adaptively adjust offspring sex ratios to optimally match their offspring to the expected quality of the rearing environment.

Work environments for healthy and motivated public health nurses.

PubMed

Saito, Naoko; Yamamoto, Takeshi; Kitaike, Tadashi

2016-01-01

Objectives By defining health as mental health and productivity and performance as work motivation, the study aimed to identify work environments that promote the health and motivation of public health nurses, using the concept of a healthy work organizations, which encompasses the coexistence of excellent health for each worker and the productivity and performance of the organization.Methods Self-administered questionnaires were sent to 363 public health nurses in 41 municipal public health departments in Chiba prefecture. The questions were comprised of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) for mental health and the Morale Measurement Scale (5 items) for work motivation. Demographic data, workplace attributes, workload, and workplace environment were set as independent variables. The Comfortable Workplace Survey (35 items in 7 areas) was used to assess workers' general work environments. The "Work Environment for Public Health Nurses" scale (25 items) was developed to assess the specific situations of public health nurses. While aggregation was carried out area by area for the general work environment, factor analysis and factor-by-factor aggregation were used for public health nurse-specific work environments. Mental health and work motivation results were divided in two based on the total scores, which were then evaluated by t-tests and χ(2) tests. Items that showed a significant correlation were analyzed using logistic regression.Results The valid responses of 215 participants were analyzed (response rate: 59.2%). For the general work environment, high scores (the higher the score, the better the situation) were obtained for "contributions to society" and "human relationships" and low scores were obtained for "career building and human resource development." For public health nurse-specific work environments, high scores were obtained for "peer support," while low scores were obtained for "easy access to advice and training" and

The rural nurse work environment and structural empowerment.

PubMed

Krebs, Julianne P; Madigan, Elizabeth A; Tullai-McGuinness, Susan

2008-02-01

Rural health care organizations struggle to attract and retain nurses, yet much of the research has focused on characteristics of the nurse work environment or empowerment in urban hospitals. The purpose of this study was to examine the nurse work environment in rural areas across settings by describing the relationship between structural empowerment and characteristics of the nurse work environment. Nurses ( N = 97) working in home care agencies and hospitals were surveyed. Significant differences were found between the groups, with home care nurses having significantly higher empowerment scores than medical/surgical nurses. A strong correlation was found between characteristics of the nurse work environment and empowerment. Policy makers are using evidence to guide development of policies, but much of the research has been conducted in urban hospital settings. This study begins to provide evidence that differences exist between urban and rural areas and between practice settings.

Quality of work life: experiences of Iranian nurses.

PubMed

Vagharseyyedin, Seyyed Abolfazl; Vanaki, Zohreh; Mohammadi, Eesa

2011-03-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experiences of Iranian nurses concerning their quality of work life. A purposive sample of nurses (n = 14) was recruited from two university hospitals. The data were collected through unstructured interviews and were analyzed by using qualitative content analysis. The results indicated that the participants discerned their quality of work life by assessing how favorable were their working conditions, the level of fulfilment of their personal needs, and the impact of their working conditions on their private life and their social life. Three main themes were identified: quality of work life, as experienced from a personal perspective; quality of work life, as experienced from a sociocultural perspective; and quality of work life, as experienced from an organizational-professional perspective. The results of the present study will help Iranian nurse administrators to adopt effective strategies in order to improve nurses' quality of work life. Future research can broaden the scope of the current results and offer a more comprehensive understanding of nurses' quality of work life. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Physical and psychosocial work environment factors and their association with health outcomes in Danish ambulance personnel – a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Reviews of the literature on the health and work environment of ambulance personnel have indicated an increased risk of work-related health problems in this occupation. The aim of this study was to compare health status and exposure to different work environmental factors among ambulance personnel and the core work force in Denmark. In addition, to examine the association between physical and psychosocial work environment factors and different measures of health among ambulance personnel. Methods Data were taken from a nationwide sample of ambulance personnel and fire fighters (n = 1,691) and was compared to reference samples of the Danish work force. The questionnaire contained measures of physical and psychosocial work environment as well as measures of musculoskeletal pain, mental health, self-rated health and sleep quality. Results Ambulance personnel have half the prevalence of poor self-rated health compared to the core work force (5% vs. 10%). Levels of mental health were the same across the two samples whereas a substantially higher proportion of the ambulance personnel reported musculoskeletal pain (42% vs. 29%). The ambulance personnel had higher levels of emotional demands and meaningfulness of and commitment to work, and substantially lower levels of quantitative demands and influence at work. Only one out of ten aspects of physical work environment was consistently associated with higher levels of musculoskeletal pain. Emotional demands was the only psychosocial work factor that was associated with both poorer mental health and worse sleep quality. Conclusions Ambulance personnel have similar levels of mental health but substantially higher levels of musculoskeletal pain than the work force in general. They are more exposed to emotional demands and these demands are associated with higher levels of poor mental health and poor sleep quality. To improve work environment, attention should be paid to musculoskeletal problems and the presence

[A quality assessment of notified occupational diseases submitted to the National Occupational Environment Service].

PubMed

Lander, F; Bach, B; Laursen, P

1999-08-09

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of a consecutive sample of occupational disease notifications submitted to the National Working Environment Service during 1994. The sample consisted of 860 notifications describing occupational diseases among persons working in companies situated in the county of Vejle. The data information e.g. company name and address, time of employment, harmful exposure and disease, were registered. An overall data quality assessment was performed including evaluation of the etiological connection between described occupational exposure and disease and potential preventive perspectives. The study showed that the notified informations in general were adequate, but doctors need to pay more attention to dose description of the harmful exposure. About 80% of the notifications presented an adequate connection between occupational exposure and disease. Only half of the notifications described preventable and recent (less than five years) harmful exposure. In conclusion, the Danish occupational disease notification system is in general of a high standard, and the National Working Environment Service could make more use of doctors' information provided in these notifications.

[Quality assurance of emergency medical work].

PubMed

Sunde, H G

1995-03-30

Patients attending a casualty department often have diseases or injuries needing urgent medical attention. Early and correct diagnosis and treatment may be of major importance for the medical outcome. The continuity of staff is often low, with many doctors and nurses working part time. This may represent a threat to the quality of the medical work. Quality assurance at a casualty department through good training, introduction of written rules, a good flow of information to the staff and local licensing of doctors are factors which can assure that the quality of the medical service remains the best. This paper presents the work done at The Tromsø Municipal Casualty Department to assure the quality of the medical service to the population.

Work addiction and quality of life: a study with physicians.

PubMed

Azevedo, Walter Fernandes de; Mathias, Lígia Andrade da Silva Telles

2017-01-01

To evaluate the quality of life of physicians and investigate to what extent it is affected by work addiction. This is an exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional study, conducted with 1,110 physicians. For data collection, we used a questionnaire with sociodemographic information, the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF, and the Work Addiction Scale. Most physicians presented high quality of life. Female participants presented lower quality of life in the domains psychologic, environment and general (p<0.05). Quality of life was negatively correlated with the number of shifts (p<0.005). The higher the addiction to work, the lower the quality of life. The research allowed understanding the implications of work addiction in the quality of life. Further studies are required to support the development of strategies that improve health conditions and quality of life of medical professionals. Avaliar a qualidade de vida de médicos e investigar em que medida a adição ao trabalho a afeta. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório, descritivo e transversal, realizado com 1.110 médicos. Para coleta de dados, optou-se por utilizar um questionário contendo informações sociodemográficas, bem como aplicar o instrumento World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF e a Escala de Adição ao Trabalho. Os médicos, em sua maioria, apresentaram alta qualidade de vida. Os participantes do sexo feminino tiveram menor qualidade de vida em relação aos homens nos domínios psicológico, meio ambiente e geral (p<0,05). A qualidade de vida correlacionou-se negativamente com o número de plantões (p<0,005), e quanto maior a adição ao trabalho, menor a qualidade de vida. A pesquisa permitiu o conhecimento das implicações da adição ao trabalho sobre a qualidade de vida. Novos estudos são necessários para subsidiar a elaboração de estratégias que melhorem a saúde e a qualidade de vida do profissional médico.

Chinese Undergraduate Students' Work Values: The Role of Parental Work Experience and Part-Time Work Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheung, Francis Yue-lok; Tang, Catherine So-kum

2012-01-01

In this study, the authors investigated the association of perceived parental job insecurity and students' part-time work quality on work values among 341 Hong Kong Chinese undergraduate students. Correlation and regression results showed that work values were strongly related to students' part-time work satisfaction and work quality. In…

Prominent attractive qualities of nurses' work in operating room departments: A questionnaire study.

PubMed

Björn, Catrine; Josephson, Malin; Wadensten, Barbro; Rissén, Dag

2015-01-01

The shortage of nurses in operating room departments (ORs) in Sweden and other countries can lead to reduced capacity and quality in healthcare, as well as more intense work for those on the job. Little is known about what nurses in ORs perceive as crucial for their workplace to be attractive. To capture attractive qualities of nurses' work in Swedish ORs and take a first step in the process of adapting the Attractive Work Questionnaire for use in a health care context. The Attractive Work Questionnaire was completed by 147 (67% ) nurses in four Swedish ORs. Principal Component Analyses (PCA) were performed to determine the underlying structure of the data. Factors contributing to job attractiveness identified in the area "work conditions" were: relations, leadership, equipment, salary, organisation, physical work environment, location, and working hours; in the area "work content": mental work, autonomy and work rate; and in the area "job satisfaction": status and acknowledgement. The PCA showed consistency with the original Attractive Work Questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha varied between 0.57-0.90. Prominent attractive qualities for nurses' work in Swedish ORs were possible to identify through the Attractive Work Questionnaire and the results suggest that the questionnaire can be useful in a health care context.

Shiftwork and environment as interactive predictors of work perceptions.

PubMed

Parkes, Katharine R

2003-10-01

Evidence suggests that the work environment may play a role in the elevated risk of adverse health outcomes among shiftworkers compared with dayworkers. Perceived work environment measures (physical stressors, job demand, job control, skill discretion, supervisor support, and safety perceptions) from UK oil industry personnel (N=1,867) were analyzed in relation to shiftwork (day/night rotation vs daywork) and objective work environment (onshore vs offshore). Age, education, job type, and negative affectivity were also included. The Environment * Shiftwork interaction was significant in multivariate tests and in 5 of the 6 univariate analyses. Onshore, shiftworkers perceived their environment significantly less favorably than dayworkers, but differences were less marked offshore. Results are discussed in relation to the demand-control-support model of work stress. 2003 APA

Impact of work environment and work-related stress on turnover intention in physical therapists.

PubMed

Lee, Byoung-Kwon; Seo, Dong-Kwon; Lee, Jang-Tae; Lee, A-Ram; Jeon, Ha-Neul; Han, Dong-Uk

2016-08-01

[Purpose] This study was conducted to provide basic data for solutions to reduce the turnover rate of physical therapists. It should help create efficient personnel and organization management by exploring the impact of the work environment and work-related stress on turnover intention and analyzing the correlation between them. [Subjects and Methods] A survey was conducted with 236 physical therapists working at medical institutions in the Daejeon and Chungcheong areas. For the analysis on the collected data, correlational and linear regression analyses were conducted using the SPSS 18.0 program and Cronbach's alpha coefficient. [Results] The results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between turnover intention and work-related stress but a statistically significant negative correlation respectively between turnover intention and work environment. Work-related stress (β=0.415) had a significant positive impact on turnover intention and work environment (β=-0.387) had a significant negative impact on turnover intention. [Conclusion] To increase satisfaction level with the profession as well as the workplace for physical therapists, improvement of the work environment was the most necessary primary improvement.

Impact of work environment and work-related stress on turnover intention in physical therapists

PubMed Central

Lee, Byoung-kwon; Seo, Dong-kwon; Lee, Jang-Tae; Lee, A-Ram; Jeon, Ha-Neul; Han, Dong-Uk

2016-01-01

[Purpose] This study was conducted to provide basic data for solutions to reduce the turnover rate of physical therapists. It should help create efficient personnel and organization management by exploring the impact of the work environment and work-related stress on turnover intention and analyzing the correlation between them. [Subjects and Methods] A survey was conducted with 236 physical therapists working at medical institutions in the Daejeon and Chungcheong areas. For the analysis on the collected data, correlational and linear regression analyses were conducted using the SPSS 18.0 program and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. [Results] The results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between turnover intention and work-related stress but a statistically significant negative correlation respectively between turnover intention and work environment. Work-related stress (β=0.415) had a significant positive impact on turnover intention and work environment (β=−0.387) had a significant negative impact on turnover intention. [Conclusion] To increase satisfaction level with the profession as well as the workplace for physical therapists, improvement of the work environment was the most necessary primary improvement. PMID:27630432

Rehabilitation Counselor Work Environment: Examining Congruence with Prototypic Work Personality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zanskas, Stephen; Strohmer, Douglas C.

2010-01-01

The profession of rehabilitation counseling has undergone extensive empirical study. Absent from this research has been a theoretical basis for describing and understanding the profession and its associated work environment. The focus of this study was to further our understanding of the nature of the rehabilitation counselor's work environment…

Learning environment: the impact of clerkship location on instructional quality.

PubMed

Prunuske, Jacob P; Deci, David M

2013-03-01

Students provide variable feedback on instructional quality at ambulatory training sites. We hypothesized several strengths and weaknesses of placing students at resident and non-resident training sites, including differences in faculty behaviors, patient characteristics, work environment, learning opportunities, and levels of student engagement. We systematically assessed for differences in learning quality between clerkship sites with and without residents. Students completed the MedED IQ, a validated survey assessing four domains of instructional quality, after completing a required primary care rotation. We calculated descriptive and summary statistics and two sample tests of proportion analyzing student agreement with each MedEd IQ item with respect to the presence or absence of resident learners. Of 149 total, 113 (75.8%) students completed the MedEd IQ site survey. A greater percentage of students at resident training sites (25.8%) than at non-resident sites (7.3%) agreed with the statement "The opportunities were too diverse, preventing me from developing proficiency." A greater percentage of students at resident training sites (19.4%) than at non-resident sites (1.2%) agreed with the statement "The health care team was not supportive of my learning." There were no differences between sites with or without residents on 14 items measuring preceptor actions or seven items measuring student involvement. Ambulatory clerkship sites with and without residents provide comparable quality learning experiences and precepting. Students placed at resident training sites may be overwhelmed with diverse opportunities and have a less supportive learning environment than students placed at non-resident sites. Future research should evaluate the impact of health care team development programs designed to foster a more supportive training environment for medical students. Ways of aligning residency and medical student education goals within the training setting should be

Nurses' work environment and intent to leave in Lebanese hospitals: implications for policy and practice.

PubMed

El-Jardali, Fadi; Alameddine, Mohamad; Dumit, Nuhad; Dimassi, Hani; Jamal, Diana; Maalouf, Salwa

2011-02-01

The dual burden of nursing shortages and poor work environments threatens quality of patient care and places additional pressures on resource-stretched health care systems, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). There is a paucity of research in the EMR examining the quality of nurses' work environment and its association to nurses' intent to leave their jobs/countries. Systematically examine the characteristics of nurses' work environment and their relation to nurses' intent to leave their jobs within the context of Lebanon. A secondary objective is to assess the utility and validity of the NWI-R within the context of the EMR. A cross-sectional survey design was utilized to survey a total of 1793 registered nurses in 69 Lebanese hospitals. The survey instrument included questions on nurses' background, hospital characteristics, intent to leave, and the Revised Nurse Working Index (NWI-R). Data analysis included descriptive statistics for demographic characteristics, t-test and ANOVA to assess differences in agreement scores, and a multinomial logistic regression model to predict intent to leave. Thematic analysis of open-ended questions was utilized to extract themes that fit under issues relating to nurses' work environment in Lebanese hospitals. The NWI-R subscale with the lowest mean score related to control. Younger nurses had lower scores on organizational support and career development. Regression analysis revealed that for every 1 point score decrease on career development there was a 93% increase in likelihood of reporting intent to leave country. Likewise, for every 1 point score decrease on participation there was an observed 51% and 53% increase in likelihood of reporting intent to leave country and hospital, respectively. Findings show that hospital characteristics (size, accreditation status and presence of a recruitment and retention strategy) were significantly associated with NWI-R subscales. Participation, control and career

Perceptions of work environment priorities: Are there any differences by company size? An ecological study.

PubMed

Nordlöf, Hasse; Wijk, Katarina; Westergren, Karl-Erik

2015-01-01

Earlier studies suggest that the quality of handling occupational health and safety (OHS) activities differs between companies of different sizes. Company size is a proxy variable for other variables affecting OHS performance. The objective of this study was to investigate if there is an association between company size and perceptions of work environment prioritizations. Data from 106 small- and medium-sized Swedish manufacturing companies was collected. One manager and one safety delegate at each company rated different aspects of their companies' work environment prioritizations with a 43-item questionnaire. Ratings were aggregated to a summary statistic for each company before analysis. No significant differences in perceptions of priority were found to be associated with company sizes. This is in contrast to earlier studies of objective differences. The respondents in small companies, however, showed significantly greater consensus in their ratings. Company size does not appear to be associated with perceptions of work environment prioritizations. Company size is an important proxy variable to study in order to understand what factors enable and obstruct safe and healthy workplaces. The work presented here should be viewed as an initial exploration to serve as direction for future academic work.

Psychosocial work environment factors and weight change: a prospective study among Danish health care workers.

PubMed

Gram Quist, Helle; Christensen, Ulla; Christensen, Karl Bang; Aust, Birgit; Borg, Vilhelm; Bjorner, Jakob B

2013-01-17

Lifestyle variables may serve as important intermediate factors between psychosocial work environment and health outcomes. Previous studies, focussing on work stress models have shown mixed and weak results in relation to weight change. This study aims to investigate psychosocial factors outside the classical work stress models as potential predictors of change in body mass index (BMI) in a population of health care workers. A cohort study, with three years follow-up, was conducted among Danish health care workers (3982 women and 152 men). Logistic regression analyses examined change in BMI (more than +/- 2 kg/m(2)) as predicted by baseline psychosocial work factors (work pace, workload, quality of leadership, influence at work, meaning of work, predictability, commitment, role clarity, and role conflicts) and five covariates (age, cohabitation, physical work demands, type of work position and seniority). Among women, high role conflicts predicted weight gain, while high role clarity predicted both weight gain and weight loss. Living alone also predicted weight gain among women, while older age decreased the odds of weight gain. High leadership quality predicted weight loss among men. Associations were generally weak, with the exception of quality of leadership, age, and cohabitation. This study of a single occupational group suggested a few new risk factors for weight change outside the traditional work stress models.

The Work-Family Interface and Sleep Quality.

PubMed

Magee, Christopher A; Robinson, Laura D; McGregor, Alisha

2017-01-18

This article investigated whether work-to-family conflict (WFC) and work-to-family enrichment (WFE) were associated with employee sleep quality. WFC and WFE reflect the potential for experiences at work to negatively and positively influence nonworking life respectively, and may have implications for sleep quality. In this article, we examined whether WFC and WFE were linked with sleep quality via hedonic balance (i.e., positive affect relative to negative affect). The sample included 3,170 employed Australian parents involved in the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. Information on WFC, WFE, hedonic balance, sleep quality, and relevant covariates was collected through a structured interview and self-completion questionnaire. WFC was associated with poorer sleep quality (β = .27, p < .001), and this relationship was stronger in males than females and in dual parent-single income families. WFC was also found to be indirectly associated with poor sleep quality via a lower hedonic balance (β = .17, 99% confidence interval [.14, .20]). WFE was not directly associated with sleep quality, but was indirectly associated with better sleep quality via a higher hedonic balance (β = -.04 [-.07, -.02]). These results indicate that aspects of the work-family interface are associated with employee sleep quality. Furthermore, affective experiences were found to link WFC and WFE with sleep quality. Workplace interventions that target WFC and WFE may have implications for employee sleep.

Wage, Work Environment, and Staffing: Effects on Nurse Outcomes

PubMed Central

McHugh, Matthew D.; Ma, Chenjuan

2015-01-01

Research has shown that hospitals with better nurse staffing and work environments have better nurse outcomes—less burnout, job dissatisfaction, and intention to leave the job. Many studies, however, have not accounted for wage effects, which may confound findings. By using a secondary analysis with cross-sectional administrative data and a four-state survey of nurses, we investigated how wage, work environment, and staffing were associated with nurse outcomes. Logistic regression models, with and without wage, were used to estimate the effects of work environment and staffing on burnout, job dissatisfaction, and intent to leave. We discovered that wage was associated with job dissatisfaction and intent to leave but had little influence on burnout, while work environment and average patient-to-nurse ratio still have considerable effects on nurse outcomes. Wage is important for good nurse outcomes, but it does not diminish the significant influence of work environment and staffing on nurse outcomes. PMID:25121923

Wage, work environment, and staffing: effects on nurse outcomes.

PubMed

McHugh, Matthew D; Ma, Chenjuan

2014-01-01

Research has shown that hospitals with better nurse staffing and work environments have better nurse outcomes-less burnout, job dissatisfaction, and intention to leave the job. Many studies, however, have not accounted for wage effects, which may confound findings. By using a secondary analysis with cross-sectional administrative data and a four-state survey of nurses, we investigated how wage, work environment, and staffing were associated with nurse outcomes. Logistic regression models, with and without wage, were used to estimate the effects of work environment and staffing on burnout, job dissatisfaction, and intent to leave. We discovered that wage was associated with job dissatisfaction and intent to leave but had little influence on burnout, while work environment and average patient-to-nurse ratio still have considerable effects on nurse outcomes. Wage is important for good nurse outcomes, but it does not diminish the significant influence of work environment and staffing on nurse outcomes. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Mothers' work-family conflict and enrichment: associations with parenting quality and couple relationship.

PubMed

Cooklin, A R; Westrupp, E; Strazdins, L; Giallo, R; Martin, A; Nicholson, J M

2015-03-01

Employment participation of mothers of young children has steadily increased in developed nations. Combining work and family roles can create conflicts with family life, but can also bring enrichment. Work-family conflict and enrichment experienced by mothers may also impact children's home environments via parenting behaviour and the couple relationship, particularly in the early years of parenting when the care demands for young children is high. In order to examine these associations, while adjusting for a wide range of known covariates of parenting and relationship quality, regression models using survey data from 2151 working mothers of 4- to 5-year-old children are reported. Results provided partial support for the predicted independent relationships between work-family conflict, enrichment and indicators of the quality of parenting and the couple relationship. © 2014 The Authors. Child: Care, Health and Development published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Phenomenological Study of the Work Environment in Long-Term Care Facilities for the Older Adults.

PubMed

Choi, Sandy Pin Pin; Yeung, Cheryl Chi Yan; Lee, Joseph Kok Long

2018-05-01

Attempts to meet the increasing demand for long-term care (LTC) services have been hindered by acute staff shortages and high turnover. Distinct from previous studies, a descriptive phenomenological approach with van Kaam's controlled explication method was adopted in this study, to delineate how attributes of the LTC work environment shape the workforce crisis. Individual interviews were conducted with 40 LTC workers from 10 facilities in Hong Kong. The results suggest that the work environment in LTC facilities is not only characterized by organization- and job-related attributes that influence staff outcomes but also is a socially constructed concept with derogatory connotations that can influence staff recruitment and retention. Concerted efforts from facility administrators and policy makers are needed to improve the quality of the work environment. Future initiatives should focus on developing a vision and strategic plan to facilitate the rise of the LTC sector as a profession.

Securing the User's Work Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cardo, Nicholas P.

2004-01-01

High performance computing at the Numerical Aerospace Simulation Facility at NASA Ames Research Center includes C90's, J90's and Origin 2000's. Not only is it necessary to protect these systems from outside attacks, but also to provide a safe working environment on the systems. With the right tools, security anomalies in the user s work environment can be deleted and corrected. Validating proper ownership of files against user s permissions, will reduce the risk of inadvertent data compromise. The detection of extraneous directories and files hidden amongst user home directories is important for identifying potential compromises. The first runs of these utilities detected over 350,000 files with problems. With periodic scans, automated correction of problems takes only minutes. Tools for detecting these types of problems as well as their development techniques will be discussed with emphasis on consistency, portability and efficiency for both UNICOS and IRIX.

Using the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index on Asian nurses.

PubMed

Liou, Shwu-Ru; Cheng, Ching-Yu

2009-01-01

Researchers have used the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) to examine the perception of practice environment among U.S. nurses in general; however, the scale has not been used to measure perceptions specifically among Asian nurses working in the United States, the largest group of international nurses in the nation. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and the validity of the PES-NWI scale when applied to Asian nurses working in the United States. The study used a cross-sectional design with snowball sampling. Data from 230 Asian nurses who were born in Far Eastern countries and had worked at least 6 months in their current job at a U.S. hospital were analyzed, using Cronbach's alpha, item-total and interitem correlation, and factor analysis. The Cronbach's alpha for the PES-NWI was.96, and the item-total correlation coefficients ranged from.49 to.79. Five factors, which explained 59.12% of variance in the perception of practice environment, emerged: Nurse Participation and Development; Nurse Manager Ability, Leadership, and Support of Nurses; Nursing Foundations for Quality of Care; Staffing and Resource Adequacy; and Collegial Nurse-Physician Relations. Four derived factors were reconstructed, and one factor was renamed based on the meanings of scale items that were included in the factor. Study findings demonstrate that the PES-NWI is a reliable and a valid scale when applied to Asian nurses working in the United States. Findings also indicate that Asian nurses perceive practice environments differently than do American nurses, most likely due to dissimilar cultural beliefs. A better understanding of these differences may help develop more individualized support for Asian nurses as they adapt to working in the United States.

Organizational change, psychosocial work environment, and non-disability early retirement: a prospective study among senior public employees.

PubMed

Breinegaard, Nina; Jensen, Johan Høy; Bonde, Jens Peter

2017-05-01

Objective This study examines the impact of organizational change and psychosocial work environment on non-disability early retirement among senior public service employees. Methods In January and February 2011, Danish senior public service employees aged 58-64 years (N=3254) from the Capital Region of Denmark responded to a survey assessing psychosocial work environment (ie, social capital, organizational justice, and quality of management). Work-unit organizational changes (ie, change of management, merging, demerging, and relocation) were recorded from January 2009 to March 2011. Weekly data on non-disability early retirement transfer were obtained from the DREAM register database, which holds weekly information about all public benefit payments in Denmark. Hazard ratios (HR) for early retirement following employees' 60 th birthday were estimated with Cox regression adjusted for age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Results Exposure to change of management [HR 1.37, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.13-1.66], mergers (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.02-1.48), and relocation of work unit (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01-1.54) increased rate of non-disability early retirement, while demerging of work unit did not (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.79-1.33). Work units with lower levels of social capital (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.05-1.41), organizational justice, (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.32), and quality of management (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.25) increased rate of early retirement. Conclusion Organizational change and poor psychosocial work environment contribute to non-disability early retirement among senior public service employees, measured at work-unit level.

Empowering certified nurse's aides to improve quality of work life through a team communication program.

PubMed

Howe, Erin E

2014-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the impact of a certified nurse's aide (CNA)-led interdisciplinary teamwork and communication intervention on perceived quality of work environment and six-month job intentions. CNAs are frequently excluded from team communication and decision-making, which often leads to job dissatisfaction with high levels of staff turnover. Using a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach with pre- post-program design, the intervention utilized the strategy of debriefing from the national patient safety initiative, TeamSTEPPS. Inherent in the program design, entitled Long Term Care (LTC) Team Talk, was the involvement of the CNAs in the development of the intervention as an empowering process on two wings of a transitional care unit in a long-term care facility in upstate NY. CNAs' perceptions of work environment quality were measured using a Quality of Work Life (QWL) instrument. Additionally, job turnover intent within six months was assessed. Results indicated improved scores on nearly all QWL subscales anticipated to be impacted, and enhanced perceived empowerment of the CNAs on each wing albeit through somewhat different experiential processes. The program is highly portable and can potentially be implemented in a variety of long-term care settings. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Creating LGBTQ-Inclusive Care and Work Environments.

PubMed

Jones-Schenk, Jan

2018-04-01

In considering the full depth of inclusion in care and work environments (and developing inclusive engagement skills for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning [LGBTQ] patients and their families), professional development leaders must bring these discussions and shared learnings into the open. Understanding the LGBTQ population's unique needs is essential to providing personalized health care, and inclusive work environments help to foster more inclusive care for this population. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2018;49(4):151-153. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Exploring the relationship between work-related rumination, sleep quality, and work-related fatigue.

PubMed

Querstret, Dawn; Cropley, Mark

2012-07-01

This study examined the association among three conceptualizations of work-related rumination (affective rumination, problem-solving pondering, and detachment) with sleep quality and work-related fatigue. It was hypothesized that affective rumination and poor sleep quality would be associated with increased fatigue and that problem-solving pondering and detachment would be associated with decreased fatigue. The mediating effect of sleep quality on the relationship between work-related rumination and fatigue was also tested. An online questionnaire was completed by a heterogeneous sample of 719 adult workers in diverse occupations. The following variables were entered as predictors in a regression model: affective rumination, problem-solving pondering, detachment, and sleep quality. The dependent variables were chronic work-related fatigue (CF) and acute work-related fatigue (AF). Affective rumination was the strongest predictor of increased CF and AF. Problem-solving pondering was a significant predictor of decreased CF and AF. Poor sleep quality was predictive of increased CF and AF. Detachment was significantly negatively predictive for AF. Sleep quality partially mediated the relationship between affective rumination and fatigue and between problem-solving pondering and fatigue. Work-related affective rumination appears more detrimental to an individual's ability to recover from work than problem-solving pondering. In the context of identifying mechanisms by which demands at work are translated into ill-health, this appears to be a key finding and suggests that it is the type of work-related rumination, not rumination per se, that is important.

Practice environment and its association with professional competence and work-related factors: perception of newly graduated nurses.

PubMed

Numminen, Olivia; Ruoppa, Eija; Leino-Kilpi, Helena; Isoaho, Hannu; Hupli, Maija; Meretoja, Riitta

2016-01-01

To explore newly graduated nurses' (NGN) perception of their practice environment and its association with their self-assessed competence, turnover intentions and job satisfaction as work-related factors. The impact of practice environment on nurses' work is important. Positive practice environments are associated with positive organisational, nurse and patient outcomes. How this applies to NGNs needs further exploration. A cross-sectional descriptive correlation design was used. Data were collected with PES-NWI and NCS instruments from 318 Finnish registered nurses, and analysed statistically. Newly graduated nurses' perception of their practice environment was mainly positive. Most positive perceptions related to collegial nurse-physician relations, and the least positive to staffing and resource adequacy. Positive perceptions were also associated with higher professional competence, higher perceptions of quality of care and lower intentions to leave the job or profession. The findings revealed strong and significant associations between practice environment and work-related factors. Practice environment is an important element in supporting NGNs' competence, retention and job satisfaction. Nursing management should pay attention to NGNs' perceptions of their practice environment. Management's ability to create and maintain positive practice environments can foster NGNs' professional development and job satisfaction, and consequently retain them in the workforce. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Predictors of Hospital Nurses' Safety Practices: Work Environment, Workload, Job Satisfaction, and Error Reporting.

PubMed

Chiang, Hui-Ying; Hsiao, Ya-Chu; Lee, Huan-Fang

Nurses' safety practices of medication administration, prevention of falls and unplanned extubations, and handover are essentials to patient safety. This study explored the prediction between such safety practices and work environment factors, workload, job satisfaction, and error-reporting culture of 1429 Taiwanese nurses. Nurses' job satisfaction, error-reporting culture, and one environmental factor of nursing quality were found to be major predictors of safety practices. The other environment factors related to professional development and participation in hospital affairs and nurses' workload had limited predictive effects on the safety practices. Increasing nurses' attention to patient safety by improving these predictors is recommended.

Swedish female hairdressers' views on their work environment--a qualitative study.

PubMed

Diab, Kerstin Kronholm; Nielsen, Jörn; Andersson, Edith

2014-01-01

Hairdressers have several work-related health hazards. Little is known of their strategies for the work environment. The aim of this study was to explore female hairdressers' own views on their physical, social and psychological work environment and possibilities of influencing it, implementation of their knowledge, financial impacts and how work-related symptoms affect their views. Fourteen hairdressers working for four years were subjected to open-ended interviews covering aspects of the physical, social and psychological work environment. Content analysis was applied. An awareness of the impact of the work environment and the possibilities of influencing it emerged, but also an inability to achieve preventive improvements. This included reflections concerning ventilation, health issues, job strain, hair products, financial issues, knowledge from school and concern for having to leave the profession. The organization and acceptance of the work environment were important issues. Making the work environment an active part of their business was not common. Female hairdressers had an awareness of their work environment but lacked the means and strategies to make it an active part of their business. The main focus was on the customers and the work techniques. Having various symptoms did not alter this. Organizational and financial issues could put limitations on the work environment. Teachers were crucial in making the work environment interesting. Hairdressing was seen with advantages and disadvantages, and its future was seen as being insecure in terms of the occupational health risks. The hairdressers expressed a great pride in their profession providing possibilities for development.

Individual differences in satisfaction with activity-based work environments

PubMed Central

Ernst, Anja F.; Albers, Casper J.; Mobach, Mark P.; Van Yperen, Nico W.

2018-01-01

Satisfaction with activity-based work environments (ABW environments) often falls short of expectations, with striking differences among individual workers. A better understanding of these differences may provide clues for optimising satisfaction with ABW environments and associated organisational outcomes. The current study was designed to examine how specific psychological needs, job characteristics, and demographic variables relate to satisfaction with ABW environments. Survey data collected at seven organizations in the Netherlands (N = 551) were examined using correlation and regression analyses. Significant correlates of satisfaction with ABW environments were found: need for relatedness (positive), need for privacy (negative), job autonomy (positive), social interaction (positive), internal mobility (positive), and age (negative). Need for privacy appeared to be a powerful predictor of individual differences in satisfaction with ABW environments. These findings underline the importance of providing work environments that allow for different work styles, in alignment with different psychological need strengths, job characteristics, and demographic variables. Improving privacy, especially for older workers and for workers high in need for privacy, seems key to optimizing satisfaction with ABW environments. PMID:29518104

Work-based learning in health care environments.

PubMed

Spouse, J

2001-03-01

In reviewing contemporary literature and theories about work-based learning, this paper explores recent trends promoting life-long learning. In the process the paper reviews and discusses some implications of implementing recent policies and fostering le arning in health care practice settings. Recent Government policies designed to provide quality health care services and to improve staffing levels in the nursing workforce, have emphasized the importance of life-long learning whilst learning-on-the-job and the need to recognize and credit experiential learning. Such calls include negotiation of personal development plans tailored to individual educational need and context-sensitive learning activities. To be implemented effectively, this policy cann ot be seen as a cheap option but requires considerable financial resourcing for preparation of staff and the conduct of such activities. Successful work-based learning requires investment in staff at all levels as well as changes to staffing structures in organizations and trusts; changes designed to free people up to work and learn collaboratively. Creating an organizational environment where learning is prized depends upon a climate of trust; a climate where investigation and speculation are fostered and where time is protected for engaging in discussions about practice. Such a change may be radical for many health care organizations and may require a review of current policies and practices ensuring that they include education at all levels. The nature of such education also requires reconceptualizing. In the past, learning in practice settings was seen as formal lecturing or demonstration, and relied upon behaviourist principles of learning. Contemporary thinking suggests effective learning in work-settings is multi-faceted and draws on previously acquired formal knowledge, contextualizes it and moulds it according to situations at hand. Thinking about work-based learning in this way raises questions about how such

Perceptions of work environment priorities: Are there any differences by company size? An ecological study

PubMed Central

Nordlöf, Hasse; Wijk, Katarina; Westergren, Karl-Erik

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Earlier studies suggest that the quality of handling occupational health and safety (OHS) activities differs between companies of different sizes. Company size is a proxy variable for other variables affecting OHS performance. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate if there is an association between company size and perceptions of work environment prioritizations. METHODS: Data from 106 small- and medium-sized Swedish manufacturing companies was collected. One manager and one safety delegate at each company rated different aspects of their companies’ work environment prioritizations with a 43-item questionnaire. Ratings were aggregated to a summary statistic for each company before analysis. RESULTS: No significant differences in perceptions of priority were found to be associated with company sizes. This is in contrast to earlier studies of objective differences. The respondents in small companies, however, showed significantly greater consensus in their ratings. CONCLUSIONS: Company size does not appear to be associated with perceptions of work environment prioritizations. Company size is an important proxy variable to study in order to understand what factors enable and obstruct safe and healthy workplaces. The work presented here should be viewed as an initial exploration to serve as direction for future academic work. PMID:26409368

Work environment, job satisfaction, stress and burnout among haemodialysis nurses.

PubMed

Hayes, Bronwyn; Douglas, Clint; Bonner, Ann

2015-07-01

To examine the relationships among nurse and work characteristics, job satisfaction, stress, burnout and the work environment of haemodialysis nurses. Haemodialysis nursing is characterised by frequent and intense contact with patients in a complex and intense environment. A cross-sectional online survey of 417 haemodialysis nurses that included nurse and work characteristics, the Brisbane Practice Environment Measure, Index of Work Satisfaction, Nursing Stress Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Haemodialysis nurses reported an acceptable level of job satisfaction and perceived their work environment positively, although high levels of burnout were found. Nurses who were older and had worked in haemodialysis the longest had higher satisfaction levels, experienced less stress and lower levels of burnout than younger nurses. The in-centre type of haemodialysis unit had greater levels of stress and burnout than home training units. Greater satisfaction with the work environment was strongly correlated with job satisfaction, lower job stress and emotional exhaustion. Haemodialysis nurses experienced high levels of burnout even though their work environment was favourable and they had acceptable levels of job satisfaction. Targeted strategies are required to retain and avoid burnout in younger and less experienced nurses in this highly specialised field of nursing. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Otorhinolaryngology residency in Spain: training satisfaction, working environment and conditions.

PubMed

Oker, N; Alotaibi, N H; Herman, P; Bernal-Sprekelsen, M; Albers, A E

2016-06-01

Europe-wide efforts are being initiated to define quality standards and harmonize Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (ORL-HNS)-specialty-training by creating an European board examination. However, differences within and between countries remain and are underinvestigated making comparisons and further improvement more difficult. The study aimed at assessing quality of training, satisfaction and quality of life of residents and recent ORL-HNS specialists in Spain and to trace similarities and differences to France and Germany administering anonymous online-questionnaire to ORL-HNS-residents and recent specialists. 146 questionnaires were returned with answers of 75.6 % of residents, a mean age of 30 years and a female to male ratio of 1.46:1. The global satisfaction of training was high as 76 % would choose the same ENT training again, 86 % confirmed that responsibilities which were given to them were adapted to their level of training and 97 % felt well considered in their department. Ninety-two confirmed that helpful seniors contributed to a good work environment (75 %) and to a good organization within the department (69 %). The respondents spent on average 8.8 h per day at the hospital and covered on average 4.8 night duties or week-end shifts per month with mostly no post-day off (86 %). Seventy-four percent participated regularly at complementary training sessions. Research work was supported and guided in 59 %. This study is the first one, to our best of knowledge, to assess the ORL-HNS-training in Spain and to trace parallelisms and differences to other European countries, such as France and Germany. The satisfaction of training and supervision was high in Spain, but there are still efforts to make concerning resident's quality of life. Compared to France and Germany, satisfaction with ORL-HNS-training and the support and guidance provided by seniors was similar. Work conditions were comparable to those in France. Motivation, teaching and

Analysis of the moral habitability of the nursing work environment.

PubMed

Peter, Elizabeth H; Macfarlane, Amy V; O'Brien-Pallas, Linda L

2004-08-01

Following health reform, nurses have experienced the tremendous stress of heavy workloads, long hours and difficult professional responsibilities. In recognition of these problems, a study was conducted that examined the impact of the working environment on the health of nurses. After conducting focus groups across Canada with nurses and others well acquainted with nursing issues, it became clear that the difficult work environments described had significant ethical implications. The aim of this paper is to report the findings of research that examined the moral habitability of the nursing working environment. A secondary analysis was conducted using the theoretical work of Margaret Urban Walker. Moral practices and responsibilities from Walker's perspective cannot be extricated from other social roles, practices and divisions of labour. Moral-social orders, such as work environments in this research, must be made transparent to examine their moral habitability. Morally habitable environments are those in which differently situated people experience their responsibilities as intelligible and coherent. They also foster recognition, cooperation and shared benefits. Four overarching categories were developed through the analysis of the data: (1) oppressive work environments; (2) incoherent moral understandings; (3) moral suffering and (4) moral influence and resistance. The findings clearly indicate that participants perceived the work environment to be morally uninhabitable. The social and spatial positioning of nurses left them vulnerable to being overburdened by and unsure of their responsibilities. Nevertheless, nurses found meaningful ways to resist and to influence the moral environment. We recommend that nurses develop strong moral identities, make visible the inseparability of their proximity to patients and moral accountability, and further identify what forms of collective action are most effective in improving the moral habitability of their work

Creating a Positive Work Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Susan

2010-01-01

The author believes happy staff make for happy classrooms and happy classrooms make for happy children. However, with all the pressures facing child care programs--from the economy to state requirements--creating and maintaining a positive work environment becomes tougher and tougher. In this article, the author discusses the importance of…

Temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of water environment quality in Heze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Qian; Zhao, Qiang; Li, Xiumei

2018-06-01

The evolution of water environment is relatively complicated. The study of its characteristics is helpful to grasp the general direction of spatial and temporal evolution of water environment in Heze city, and to carry out water resources development and water environment protection more rationally. The comprehensive pollution index method for calculation, and the observed data are handled by Excel. In order to facilitate the analysis of the basin, Arcgis is utilized to map the watershed map. In addition, for the spatial evolution, surfer12 is used to analyze the spatial evolution characteristics the spatial evolution, and to draw the pictures of spatial evolution of chemical oxygen demand and water quality evolution. The study shows that: (1) In Heze, the quality of water environment has been improved year by year from 2006 to 2013. In 2014, the water environment has deteriorated. The content of volatile phenol has increased greatly, and the evolution trend of COD is close to the trend of the comprehensive pollution index. (2) In terms of Spatial state of water environment, the water quality of Zhuzhao New River and Wanfu River is poor, and Dongyu River water quality is better. Zhuzhao New River and Wanfu River water qualityis often worse than grade V or V, and Dongyu River water quality is mostly maintained in the grade Ⅳ. Through the analysis on the spatial revolution characteristics of water quality and chemical oxygen demand(COD),as a result, water quality is poor in the northern region,and the water quality in the southern region is better in Heze. Although the water quality has changed in recent years, the overall pattern is relatively stable.

Design Quality in the Context of Healthcare Environments: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Anåker, Anna; Heylighen, Ann; Nordin, Susanna; Elf, Marie

2016-01-01

Objective: We explored the concept of design quality in relation to healthcare environments. In addition, we present a taxonomy that illustrates the wide range of terms used in connection with design quality in healthcare. Background: High-quality physical environments can promote health and well-being. Developments in healthcare technology and methodology put high demands on the design quality of care environments, coupled with increasing expectations and demands from patients and staff that care environments be person centered, welcoming, and accessible while also supporting privacy and security. In addition, there are demands that decisions about the design of healthcare architecture be based on the best available information from credible research and the evaluation of existing building projects. Method: The basic principles of Arksey and O’Malley’s model of scoping review design were used. Data were derived from literature searches in scientific databases. A total of 18 articles and books were found that referred to design quality in a healthcare context. Results: Design quality of physical healthcare environments involves three different themes: (i) environmental sustainability and ecological values, (ii) social and cultural interactions and values, and (iii) resilience of the engineering and building construction. Design quality was clarified herein with a definition. Conclusions: Awareness of what is considered design quality in relation to healthcare architecture could help to design healthcare environments based on evidence. To operationalize the concept, its definition must be clear and explicit and able to meet the complex needs of the stakeholders in a healthcare context, including patients, staff, and significant others. PMID:28643560

Design Quality in the Context of Healthcare Environments: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Anåker, Anna; Heylighen, Ann; Nordin, Susanna; Elf, Marie

2017-07-01

We explored the concept of design quality in relation to healthcare environments. In addition, we present a taxonomy that illustrates the wide range of terms used in connection with design quality in healthcare. High-quality physical environments can promote health and well-being. Developments in healthcare technology and methodology put high demands on the design quality of care environments, coupled with increasing expectations and demands from patients and staff that care environments be person centered, welcoming, and accessible while also supporting privacy and security. In addition, there are demands that decisions about the design of healthcare architecture be based on the best available information from credible research and the evaluation of existing building projects. The basic principles of Arksey and O'Malley's model of scoping review design were used. Data were derived from literature searches in scientific databases. A total of 18 articles and books were found that referred to design quality in a healthcare context. Design quality of physical healthcare environments involves three different themes: (i) environmental sustainability and ecological values, (ii) social and cultural interactions and values, and (iii) resilience of the engineering and building construction. Design quality was clarified herein with a definition. Awareness of what is considered design quality in relation to healthcare architecture could help to design healthcare environments based on evidence. To operationalize the concept, its definition must be clear and explicit and able to meet the complex needs of the stakeholders in a healthcare context, including patients, staff, and significant others.

Quality of working life of nurses and its related factors.

PubMed

Moradi, Tayebeh; Maghaminejad, Farzaneh; Azizi-Fini, Ismail

2014-06-01

Nurses as the largest group of health care providers should enjoy a satisfactory quality of working life to be able to provide quality care to their patients. Therefore, attention should be paid to the nurses' working life. This study aimed to investigate the quality of nurses' working life in Kashans' hospitals during 2012. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 nurses during 2012. The data-gathering instrument consisted of two parts. The first part consisted of questions on demographic information and the second part was the Walton's quality of work life questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software. For statistical analysis T test and one way ANOVA were used. The results of the study showed that 60% of nurses reported that they had moderate level of quality of working life while 37.1% and 2% had undesirable and good quality of working life, respectively. Nurses with associate degrees reported a better quality of working life than others. A significant relationship was found between variables such as education level, work experience, and type of hospital with quality of working life score (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between quality of working life score of nurses with employment status (P = 0.061), salary (P = 0.052), age, gender and marital status (P > 0.05). Nurses' quality of work life was at the moderate level. As quality of work life has an important impact on attracting and retaining employees, it is necessary to pay more attention to the nurses' quality of work life and its affecting factors.

Establishing a Measurement Tool for a Nursing Work Environment in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lin, Li-Chiu; Lee, Huan-Fang; Yen, Miaofen

2017-02-01

The nursing work environment is a critical global health care problem. Many health care providers are concerned about the associations between the nursing work environment and the outcomes of organizations, nurses, and patients. Nursing work environment instruments have been assessed in the West but have not been considered in Asia. However, different cultures will affect the factorial structure of the tool. Using a stratified nationwide random sample, we created a measurement tool for the nursing work environment in Taiwan. The Nursing Work Environment Index-Revised Scale and the Essentials of Magnetism scale were used to examine the factorial structure. Item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were used to examine the hypothesis model and generate a new factorial structure. The Taiwan Nursing Work Environment Index (TNWEI) was established to evaluate the nursing work environment in Taiwan. The four factors were labeled "Organizational Support" (7 items), "Nurse Staffing and Resources" (4 items), "Nurse-Physician Collaboration" (4 items), and "Support for Continuing Education" (4 items). The 19 items explained 58.5% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit to the model (x2/df = 5.99; p < .05, goodness of fit index [GFI] = .90; RMSEA = .07). The TNWEI provides a comprehensive and efficient method for measuring the nurses' work environment in Taiwan.

Servicescape: physical environment of hospital pharmacies and hospital pharmacists' work outcomes.

PubMed

Lin, Blossom Yen-Ju; Leu, Wen-Jye; Breen, Gerald-Mark; Lin, Wen-Hung

2008-01-01

In health care, architects, interior designers, engineers, and health care administrators need to pay attention to the construction and design of health care facilities. Research is needed to better understand how health professionals and employees perceive their work environment to improve the physical environment in which they work. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of the physical environment of hospital pharmacies on hospital pharmacists' work outcomes. This cross-sectional mailed survey study of individual hospital pharmacists used a structured questionnaire developed to cover perceptions of the ambient conditions and the space/function(s) of pharmacists' work environments. It included aspects such as dispensing areas, pharmaceuticals areas, storage areas, and administrative offices. Work outcomes were job satisfaction, intentions to leave or reduce job working hours, and job-related stress. Hospital pharmacists in Taiwan (n = 182) returned the mailed surveys. Structural equation modeling was performed to validate the construct of the physical environment of a hospital pharmacy and the causal model for testing the effect of the physical environment on pharmacists' work outcomes. For hospital pharmacy workplaces, more favorable perceptions of the workplace's physical environment were positively associated with overall job satisfaction, but such perceptions were also negatively related to intentions to quit employment or to reduce working hours. However, the effect of the physical environment on job stress within the workplace was not supported. The designs of physical environments deserve attention to create more appropriate and healthier environments for hospital pharmacies. Further research should be devoted to trace more psychological responses to the physical environment from a longitudinal perspective.

Creating healthy work environments: a strategic perspective.

PubMed

Adamson, Bonnie J

2010-01-01

Although I find Graham Lowe and Ben Chan's logic model and work environment metrics thought provoking, a healthy work environment framework must be more comprehensive and consider the addition of recommended diagnostic tools, vehicles to deliver the necessary change and a sustainability strategy that allows for the tweaking and refinement of ideas. Basic structure is required to frame and initiate an effective process, while allowing creativity and enhancements to be made by organizations as they learn. I support the construction of a suggested Canadian health sector framework for measuring the health of an organization, but I feel that organizations need to have some freedom in that design and the ability to incorporate their own indicators within the established proven drivers. Reflecting on my organization's experience with large-scale transformation efforts, I find that emotional intelligence along with formal leadership development and front-line engagement in Lean process improvement activities are essential for creating healthy work environments that produce the balanced set of outcomes listed in my hospital's Balanced Scorecard.

Creating High-Quality Health Care Workplaces. A Background Paper for Canadian Policy Research Networks' National Roundtable (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, October 29, 2001). CPRN Work Network Discussion Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koehoorn, Mieke; Lowe, Graham S.; Rondeau, Kent V.; Schellenberg, Grant; Wagar, Terry H.

Insights from a variety of research streams were synthesized to identify the key ingredients of a high-quality work environment in Canada's health care sector and ways of achieving high-quality workplaces in the sector. The following sets of interacting factors were considered: (1) the work environment and the human resource practices that shape…

Does the home environment and the sex of the child modify the adverse effects of prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos on child working memory?

PubMed Central

Horton, Megan K.; Kahn, Linda G.; Perera, Frederica; Barr, Dana Boyd; Rauh, Virginia

2013-01-01

Prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos (CPF), an organophosphorus insecticide, has long been associated with delayed neurocognitive development and most recently with decrements in working memory at age 7. In the current paper, we expanded the previous work on CPF to investigate how additional biological and social environmental factors might create or explain differential neurodevelopmental susceptibility, focusing on main and moderating effects of the quality of the home environment (HOME) and child sex. We evaluate how the quality of the home environment (specifically, parental nurturance and environmental stimulation) and child sex interact with the adverse effects of prenatal CPF exposure on working memory at child age 7 years. We did not observe a remediating effect of a high quality home environment (either parental nurturance or environmental stimulation) on the adverse effects of prenatal CPF exposure on working memory. However, we detected a borderline significant interaction between prenatal exposure to CPF and child sex (B (95% CI) for interaction term = −1.714 (−3.753 to 0.326)) suggesting males experience a greater decrement in working memory than females following prenatal CPF exposure. In addition, we detected a borderline interaction between parental nurturance and child sex (B (95% CI) for interaction term = 1.490 (−0.518 to 3.499)) suggesting that, in terms of working memory, males benefit more from a nurturing environment than females. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation into factors that may inform an intervention strategy to reduce or reverse the cognitive deficits resulting from prenatal CPF exposure. PMID:22824009

Does the home environment and the sex of the child modify the adverse effects of prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos on child working memory?

PubMed

Horton, Megan K; Kahn, Linda G; Perera, Frederica; Barr, Dana Boyd; Rauh, Virginia

2012-01-01

Prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos (CPF), an organophosphorus insecticide, has long been associated with delayed neurocognitive development and most recently with decrements in working memory at age 7. In the current paper, we expanded the previous work on CPF to investigate how additional biological and social environmental factors might create or explain differential neurodevelopmental susceptibility, focusing on main and moderating effects of the quality of the home environment (HOME) and child sex. We evaluate how the quality of the home environment (specifically, parental nurturance and environmental stimulation) and child sex interact with the adverse effects of prenatal CPF exposure on working memory at child age 7years. We did not observe a remediating effect of a high quality home environment (either parental nurturance or environmental stimulation) on the adverse effects of prenatal CPF exposure on working memory. However, we detected a borderline significant interaction between prenatal exposure to CPF and child sex (B (95% CI) for interaction term=-1.714 (-3.753 to 0.326)) suggesting males experience a greater decrement in working memory than females following prenatal CPF exposure. In addition, we detected a borderline interaction between parental nurturance and child sex (B (95% CI) for interaction term=1.490 (-0.518 to 3.499)) suggesting that, in terms of working memory, males benefit more from a nurturing environment than females. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation into factors that may inform an intervention strategy to reduce or reverse the cognitive deficits resulting from prenatal CPF exposure. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of dialogue groups on physicians' work environment.

PubMed

Bergman, David; Arnetz, Bengt; Wahlström, Rolf; Sandahl, Christer

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether dialogue groups for physicians can improve their psychosocial work environment. The study assessed the impact of eight dialogue groups, which involved 60 physicians at a children's clinic in one of the main hospitals in Stockholm. Psychosocial work environment measures were collected through a validated instrument sent to all physicians (n = 68) in 1999, 2001 and 2003. Follow-up data were collected after the termination of the groups. The overall score of organizational and staff wellbeing, as assessed by the physicians at the clinic, deteriorated from 1999 until 2003 and then improved 2004. This shift in the trend coincided with the intervention. No other factors which might explain this shift could be identified. In a naturalistic study of this kind it is not possible to prove any causal relationships. A controlled survey of management programmes concerning the work environment among physicians would be of interest for further research. The results suggest that dialogue groups may be one way to improve the psychosocial work environment for physicians. There is a lack of intervention studies regarding the efficacy of management programmes directed toward physicians, concerning the effects on professional and personal wellbeing. This is the first time dialogue groups have been studied within a health care setting.

Work, work-life conflict and health in an industrial work environment.

PubMed

Hämmig, O; Bauer, G F

2014-01-01

Work-life conflict has been poorly studied as a cause of ill-health in occupational medicine. To study associations between physical and psychosocial working conditions, including work-life conflict on the one hand and general, physical and mental health outcomes on the other. Cross-sectional data were used from an employee survey among the workforces of four medium-sized and large companies in Switzerland. Physical work factors included five demands and exposures such as heavy loads, repetitive work and poor posture. Psychosocial factors included 14 demands and limited resources such as time pressure, overtime, monotonous work, job insecurity, low job autonomy, low social support and work-life conflict. Health outcomes studied were self-rated health, sickness absence, musculoskeletal disorders, sleep disorders, stress and burnout. There was a response rate of 49%; 2014 employees participated. All adverse working conditions were positively associated with several poor health outcomes in both men and women. After mutual adjustment for all work factors and additional covariates, only a few, mainly psychosocial work factors remained significant as risk factors for health. Work-life conflict, a largely neglected work-related psychosocial factor in occupational medicine, turned out to be the only factor that was significantly and strongly associated with all studied health outcomes and was consistently found to be the strongest or second strongest of all the studied risk factors. Even in an industrial work environment, psychosocial work factors, and particularly work-life conflict, play a key role and need to be taken into consideration in research and workplace health promotion.

The effects of state anxiety and thermal comfort on sleep quality and eye fatigue in shift work nurses.

PubMed

Dehghan, Habibollah; Azmoon, Hiva; Souri, Shiva; Akbari, Jafar

2014-01-01

Psychological problems as state anxiety (SA) in the work environment has negative effect on the employees life especially shift work nurses, i.e. negative effect on mental and physical health (sleep quality, eye fatigue and comfort thermal). The purpose of this study was determination of effects of state anxiety and thermal comfort on sleep quality and eye fatigue in shift work nurses. This cross-sectional research conducted on 82 shift-work personnel of 18 nursing workstations of Isfahan hospitals in 2012. To measure the SA, sleep quality, visual fatigue and thermal comfort, Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory, Pittsburg sleep quality index, eye fatigue questionnaire and thermal comfort questionnaire were used respectively. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, student test and correlation analysis. Correlation between SA and sleep quality was -0.664(P < 0001), Pearson correlation between SA and thermal comfort was -0.276(P = 0.016) and between SA and eye fatigue was 0.57 (P < 0001). Based on these results, it can be concluded that improvement of thermal conditions and reduce state anxiety level can be reduce eye fatigue and increase the sleep quality in shift work nurses.

The effects of state anxiety and thermal comfort on sleep quality and eye fatigue in shift work nurses

PubMed Central

Dehghan, Habibollah; Azmoon, Hiva; Souri, Shiva; Akbari, Jafar

2014-01-01

Psychological problems as state anxiety (SA) in the work environment has negative effect on the employees life especially shift work nurses, i.e. negative effect on mental and physical health (sleep quality, eye fatigue and comfort thermal). The purpose of this study was determination of effects of state anxiety and thermal comfort on sleep quality and eye fatigue in shift work nurses. Methods: This cross-sectional research conducted on 82 shift-work personnel of 18 nursing workstations of Isfahan hospitals in 2012. To measure the SA, sleep quality, visual fatigue and thermal comfort, Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory, Pittsburg sleep quality index, eye fatigue questionnaire and thermal comfort questionnaire were used respectively. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, student test and correlation analysis. Results: Correlation between SA and sleep quality was −0.664(P < 0001), Pearson correlation between SA and thermal comfort was −0.276(P = 0.016) and between SA and eye fatigue was 0.57 (P < 0001). Conclusion: Based on these results, it can be concluded that improvement of thermal conditions and reduce state anxiety level can be reduce eye fatigue and increase the sleep quality in shift work nurses. PMID:25077165

Continuing professional education in Eritrea taught by local obstetrics and gynaecology residents: Effects on work environment and patient outcomes.

PubMed

Marzolf, Susan; Zekarias, Berhane; Tedla, Kifleyesus; Woldeyesus, Dawit Estifanos; Sereke, Dawit; Yohannes, Abraham; Asrat, Kibreab; Weaver, Marcia R

2015-01-01

Education and training can improve the quality of health care. We evaluated a course taught by Obstetrics/Gynaecology residents on the work environment and maternal/neonatal outcomes at Orotta Maternity Hospital. Participants were given a Standardised Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) to measure work environment before and after training. Maternal/neonatal outcomes were extracted from hospital logbooks. Neonatal quality indicators were: adverse score index, weighted score index and severity score index. SAQ response rate was 77.6% (45/58) pre-training and 95.6% (43/45) post-training. Mean total SAQ score increased from 3.07 to 3.32 out of 5 points (p < 0.05). Changes in relative risk (RR) were not statistically significant for maternal [maternal death ratio of RR (RRR) =1.08, 95% CI: 0.20-5.84 and blood transfusion RRR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.74 -1.09] or neonatal outcomes (intrapartum death RRR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.57-2.75, neonatal death RRR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.26-3.24, neonatal transfer RRR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.81-1.27, and Apgar < 7 at 5 minutes RRR = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.83-1.73). Neonatal quality indicators did not change significantly. Utilising residents to teach staff-developed training within a hospital setting was feasible and may improve the work environment. Impact on maternal/neonatal outcomes is not evident but continued follow-up is important.

Routine Work Environment Stress and PTSD Symptoms in Police Officers

PubMed Central

Maguen, Shira; Metzler, Thomas J.; McCaslin, Shannon E.; Inslicht, Sabra S.; Henn-Haase, Clare; Neylan, Thomas C.; Marmar, Charles R.

2013-01-01

This study examined the relationship between routine work environment stress and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a sample of police officers (N = 180) who were first assessed during academy training and reassessed 1-year later. In a model that included gender, ethnicity, traumatic exposure prior to entering the academy, current negative life events, and critical incident exposure over the last year, routine work environment stress was most strongly associated with PTSD symptoms. We also found that routine work environment stress mediated the relationship between critical incident exposure and PTSD symptoms and between current negative life events and PTSD symptoms. Ensuring that the work environment is functioning optimally protects against the effects of duty-related critical incidents and negative life events outside police service. PMID:19829204

[Association of Japanese doctors' sleep habits with working environments and lifestyle].

PubMed

Tamura, Yoshiyuki; Chiba, Shigeru

2011-01-01

To clarify the association of Japanese doctors' sleep habits with working environments and lifestyle, a survey was performed using a self-administered questionnaire in February 2002, targeting a population of 2,455 Asahikawa Medical University alumni. A total of 881 subjects completed questionnaires, yielding a response rate of 35.9%. The mean+/-SD sleep duration on workdays was 410.4+/-60.5 minutes, approximately 30 minutes shorter than that of the general Japanese population. The prevalence of subjective insufficient sleep (SIS) on workdays was 64.5%, significantly higher than that in the general Japanese population. The estimated overall prevalences of various sleep problems are as follows: difficulty initiating sleep, 14.7%; difficulty maintaining sleep, 15.3%; poor perceived quality of sleep, 15.6%; waking without feeling refreshed (WWFR), 30.0%; and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), 30.8%. SIS had a significant positive association with WWFR and EDS. Doctors' sleeplessness differed depending on their working style. The prevalence of SIS among doctors working at hospitals and clinics with inpatient wards was significantly higher than that among those working in environments without inpatient wards. The prevalence of SIS was significantly associated with the number of working hours, fatigue, and an irregular lifestyle. Habitual exercise did not appear to affect SIS. A multiple logistic regression model revealed that working in hospitals, long working hours (more than 9 hours a day), fatigue, and an irregular lifestyle were independently associated with SIS [OR=2.19 (95% CI=1.29-3.70); OR=1.95 (95% CI=1.37-2.77); OR=1.93 (95% CI=1.38-2.69); OR=3.27 (95% CI=2.21-4.84)]. Sleep duration on holidays was approximately 60 minutes longer than that on workdays, and the prevalence of SIS decreased to 32.3%. These results demonstrate that the prevalence of SIS is higher among doctors working at hospitals and clinics with inpatient wards, who tend to have long working

Association between work role stressors and sleep quality.

PubMed

Iwasaki, S; Deguchi, Y; Inoue, K

2018-05-17

Work-related stressors are associated with low sleep quality. However, few studies have reported an association between role stressors and sleep quality. To elucidate the association between role stressors (including role conflict and ambiguity) and sleep quality. Cross-sectional study of daytime workers whose sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Work-related stressors, including role stressors, were assessed using the Generic Job Stress Questionnaire (GJSQ). The association between sleep quality and work-related stressors was investigated by logistic regression analysis. A total of 243 participants completed questionnaires were received (response rate 71%); 86 participants reported poor sleep quality, based on a global PSQI score ≥6. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that higher role ambiguity was associated with global PSQI scores ≥6, and that role conflict was significantly associated with sleep problems, including sleep disturbance and daytime dysfunction. These results suggest that high role stress is associated with low sleep quality, and that this association should be considered an important determinant of the health of workers.

Increasing community health worker productivity and effectiveness: a review of the influence of the work environment

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Community health workers (CHWs) are increasingly recognized as a critical link in improving access to services and achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals. Given the financial and human resources constraints in developing countries, CHWs are expected to do more without necessarily receiving the needed support to do their jobs well. How much can be expected of CHWs before work overload and reduced organizational support negatively affect their productivity, the quality of services, and in turn the effectiveness of the community-based programmes that rely on them? This article presents policy-makers and programme managers with key considerations for a model to improve the work environment as an important approach to increase CHW productivity and, ultimately, the effectiveness of community-based strategies. Methods A desk review of selective published and unpublished articles and reports on CHW programs in developing countries was conducted to analyse and organize findings on the elements that influence CHW productivity. The search was not exhaustive but rather was meant to gather information on general themes that run through the various documents to generate perspectives on the issue and provide evidence on which to formulate ideas. After an initial search for key terminology related to CHW productivity, a snowball technique was used where a reference in one article led to the discovery of additional documents and reports. Results CHW productivity is determined in large part by the conditions under which they work. Attention to the provision of an enabling work environment for CHWs is essential for achieving high levels of productivity. We present a model in which the work environment encompasses four essential elements—workload, supportive supervision, supplies and equipment, and respect from the community and the health system—that affect the productivity of CHWs. We propose that when CHWs have a manageable workload in terms of a

Degraded visual environment image/video quality metrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgartner, Dustin D.; Brown, Jeremy B.; Jacobs, Eddie L.; Schachter, Bruce J.

2014-06-01

A number of image quality metrics (IQMs) and video quality metrics (VQMs) have been proposed in the literature for evaluating techniques and systems for mitigating degraded visual environments. Some require both pristine and corrupted imagery. Others require patterned target boards in the scene. None of these metrics relates well to the task of landing a helicopter in conditions such as a brownout dust cloud. We have developed and used a variety of IQMs and VQMs related to the pilot's ability to detect hazards in the scene and to maintain situational awareness. Some of these metrics can be made agnostic to sensor type. Not only are the metrics suitable for evaluating algorithm and sensor variation, they are also suitable for choosing the most cost effective solution to improve operating conditions in degraded visual environments.

Measuring the Nursing Work Environment in Mainland China: Further Development of the Chinese Nursing Work Environment Scale.

PubMed

Shao, Jing; Tang, Leiwen; Ye, Zhihong

For the stabilization of the nursing profession in mainland China, a valid and reliable nursing work environment instrument, grounded in China's context, should be developed to better provide rigorous evidence for policy makers. The purpose of the current research was to further develop a scale that could capture the characteristics of the nursing work environment in mainland China. A convenience sample of 542 nurses employed in a tertiary hospital of mainland China completed the 108-item Chinese Nursing Work Environment (C-NWE) Scale (1st ed.). Items that did not differentiate between respondents with the highest and lowest 27% of total scores and those that did not meet criteria for factor loadings were set aside. Exploratory factor analysis based on the maximum likelihood method was used to identify the structure of the scale. The chi-square test was used to evaluate model fit, and expert review was conducted to test content validity. Reliability was estimated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The revised C-NWE Scale, which consists of nine subscales and 47 items, is a simplified version of the C-NWE (1st ed.). Using exploratory maximum likelihood factor analysis, the normed chi-square fit index for a nine-factor solution was 1.97. The content validity index for the total scale was 0.93; Cronbach's alpha was .94. Initial evidence of the psychometric properties of C-NWE scores was presented. Further studies could be conducted in various settings to identify the C-NWE Scale's validity and reliability.

Linking nurses' perceptions of patient care quality to job satisfaction: the role of authentic leadership and empowering professional practice environments.

PubMed

Spence Laschinger, Heather K; Fida, Roberta

2015-05-01

A model linking authentic leadership, structural empowerment, and supportive professional practice environments to nurses' perceptions of patient care quality and job satisfaction was tested. Positive work environment characteristics are important for nurses' perceptions of patient care quality and job satisfaction (significant factors for retention). Few studies have examined the mechanism by which these characteristics operate to influence perceptions of patient care quality or job satisfaction. A cross-sectional provincial survey of 723 Canadian nurses was used to test the hypothesized models using structural equation modeling. The model was an acceptable fit and all paths were significant. Authentic leadership had a positive effect on structural empowerment, which had a positive effect on perceived support for professional practice and a negative effect on nurses' perceptions that inadequate unit staffing prevented them from providing high-quality patient care. These workplace conditions predicted job satisfaction. Authentic leaders play an important role in creating empowering professional practice environments that foster high-quality care and job satisfaction.

Indicators of healthy work environments--a systematic review.

PubMed

Lindberg, Per; Vingård, Eva

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the scientific literature and search for indicators of healthy work environments. A number of major national and international databases for scientific publication were searched for research addressing indicators of healthy work environments. Altogether 19,768 publications were found. After excluding duplicates, non-relevant publications, or publications that did not comply with the inclusion criteria 24 peer-reviewed publications remained to be included in this systematic review. Only one study explicitly addressing indicators of healthy work environments was found. That study suggested that the presence of stress management programs in an organization might serve as indicator of a 'good place to work', as these organizations were more likely to offer programs that encouraged employee well-being, safety and skill development than those without stress management programs. The other 23 studies either investigated employee's views of what constitute a healthy workplace or were guidelines for how to create such a workplace. Summarizing, the nine most pronounced factors considered as important for a healthy workplace that emerged from these studies were, in descending order: collaboration/teamwork: growth and development of the individual; recognition; employee involvement; positive, accessible and fair leader; autonomy and empowerment; appropriate staffing; skilled communication; and safe physical work.

Nationwide Survey of Work Environment, Work-Life Balance and Burnout among Psychiatrists in Japan

PubMed Central

Umene-Nakano, Wakako; Kato, Takahiro A.; Kikuchi, Saya; Tateno, Masaru; Fujisawa, Daisuke; Hoshuyama, Tsutomu; Nakamura, Jun

2013-01-01

Background Psychiatry has been consistently shown to be a profession characterised by ‘high-burnout’; however, no nationwide surveys on this topic have been conducted in Japan. Aims The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of burnout and to ascertain the relationship between work environment satisfaction, work-life balance satisfaction and burnout among psychiatrists working in medical schools in Japan. Method We mailed anonymous questionnaires to all 80 psychiatry departments in medical schools throughout Japan. Work-life satisfaction, work-environment satisfaction and social support assessments, as well as the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), were used. Results Sixty psychiatric departments (75.0%) responded, and 704 psychiatrists provided answers to the assessments and MBI. Half of the respondents (n = 311, 46.0%) experienced difficulty with their work-life balance. Based on the responses to the MBI, 21.0% of the respondents had a high level of emotional exhaustion, 12.0% had a high level of depersonalisation, and 72.0% had a low level of personal accomplishment. Receiving little support, experiencing difficulty with work-life balance, and having less work-environment satisfaction were significantly associated with higher emotional exhaustion. A higher number of nights worked per month was significantly associated with higher depersonalisation. Conclusions A low level of personal accomplishment was quite prevalent among Japanese psychiatrists compared with the results of previous studies. Poor work-life balance was related to burnout, and social support was noted to mitigate the impact of burnout. PMID:23418435

Nationwide survey of work environment, work-life balance and burnout among psychiatrists in Japan.

PubMed

Umene-Nakano, Wakako; Kato, Takahiro A; Kikuchi, Saya; Tateno, Masaru; Fujisawa, Daisuke; Hoshuyama, Tsutomu; Nakamura, Jun

2013-01-01

Psychiatry has been consistently shown to be a profession characterised by 'high-burnout'; however, no nationwide surveys on this topic have been conducted in Japan. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of burnout and to ascertain the relationship between work environment satisfaction, work-life balance satisfaction and burnout among psychiatrists working in medical schools in Japan. We mailed anonymous questionnaires to all 80 psychiatry departments in medical schools throughout Japan. Work-life satisfaction, work-environment satisfaction and social support assessments, as well as the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), were used. Sixty psychiatric departments (75.0%) responded, and 704 psychiatrists provided answers to the assessments and MBI. Half of the respondents (n = 311, 46.0%) experienced difficulty with their work-life balance. Based on the responses to the MBI, 21.0% of the respondents had a high level of emotional exhaustion, 12.0% had a high level of depersonalisation, and 72.0% had a low level of personal accomplishment. Receiving little support, experiencing difficulty with work-life balance, and having less work-environment satisfaction were significantly associated with higher emotional exhaustion. A higher number of nights worked per month was significantly associated with higher depersonalisation. A low level of personal accomplishment was quite prevalent among Japanese psychiatrists compared with the results of previous studies. Poor work-life balance was related to burnout, and social support was noted to mitigate the impact of burnout.

Effect on mental health of a participatory intervention to improve psychosocial work environment: a cluster randomized controlled trial among nurses.

PubMed

Uchiyama, Ayako; Odagiri, Yuko; Ohya, Yumiko; Takamiya, Tomoko; Inoue, Shigeru; Shimomitsu, Teruichi

2013-01-01

Improvement of psychosocial work environment has proved to be valuable for workers' mental health. However, limited evidence is available for the effectiveness of participatory interventions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect on mental health among nurses of a participatory intervention to improve the psychosocial work environment. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in hospital settings. A total of 434 nurses in 24 units were randomly allocated to 11 intervention units (n=183) and 13 control units (n=218). A participatory program was provided to the intervention units for 6 months. Depressive symptoms as mental health status and psychosocial work environment, assessed by the Job Content Questionnaire, the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, and the Quality Work Competence questionnaire, were measured before and immediately after the 6-month intervention by a self-administered questionnaire. No significant intervention effect was observed for mental health status. However, significant intervention effects were observed in psychosocial work environment aspects, such as Coworker Support (p<0.01) and Goals (p<0.01), and borderline significance was observed for Job Control (p<0.10). It is suggested that a 6-month participatory intervention is effective in improving psychosocial work environment, but not mental health, among Japanese nurses.

The Hidden Factor in Early Field Experience: Teachers' Perception of the Quality of Life at Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Divins, Barbara; And Others

This project identified work environment factors in eight schools where a teacher preparation program placed early field experience students and where the university students reported experiencing positive field placements. The purpose was to determine the impact of certain variables on teachers' perception of the quality of their own professional…

The Relationship Between Quality of Work Life and Job Satisfaction of Faculty Members in Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

PubMed Central

Kermansaravi, Fatihe; Navidian, Ali; Rigi, Shahindokht Navabi; Yaghoubinia, Fariba

2015-01-01

Background: Quality of work life is one of the most important factors for human motivating and improving of job satisfaction. Aim: The current study was carried out aimed to determine the relationship between quality of work life and job satisfaction in faculty members of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. Method: In this descriptive-analytic study, 202 faculty members of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in 2012 were entered the study through census. The job satisfaction questionnaire of Smith and Kendall and Walton Quality of Work Life questionnaire were used for data collection. Validity and reliability of questionnaires were confirmed in previous studies. Data analysis was done using SPSS 18. The Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression tests were used for data analysis. Result: The mean score of quality of work life was 121/30±37/08 and job satisfaction was 135/98±33/78. There was a significant and positive correlation between job satisfaction of faculty members and their quality of work life (P=0.003). In addition, two components of quality of work life “adequate and fair compensation” (β=0.3) and “Social Integration” (β=0.4) can predict job satisfaction of faculty members. Conclusion: According to correlation between job satisfaction and quality of work life in faculty members, job satisfaction can be improved through the changing and manipulating the components of quality of work life and in this way; the suitable environment for organization development should be provided. PMID:25716392

The relationship between quality of work life and job satisfaction of faculty members in Zahedan University of Medical Sciences.

PubMed

Kermansaravi, Fatihe; Navidian, Ali; Navabi Rigi, Shahindokht; Yaghoubinia, Fariba

2014-10-29

Quality of work life is one of the most important factors for human motivating and improving of job satisfaction. The current study was carried out aimed to determine the relationship between quality of work life and job satisfaction in faculty members of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. In this descriptive-analytic study, 202 faculty members of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in 2012 were entered the study through census. The job satisfaction questionnaire of Smith and Kendall and Walton Quality of Work Life questionnaire were used for data collection. Validity and reliability of questionnaires were confirmed in previous studies. Data analysis was done using SPSS 18. The Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression tests were used for data analysis. The mean score of quality of work life was 121/30±37/08 and job satisfaction was 135/98 ±33/78. There was a significant and positive correlation between job satisfaction of faculty members and their quality of work life (P=0.003). In addition, two components of quality of work life "adequate and fair compensation" (β=0.3) and "Social Integration" (β=0.4) can predict job satisfaction of faculty members. According to correlation between job satisfaction and quality of work life in faculty members, job satisfaction can be improved through the changing and manipulating the components of quality of work life and in this way; the suitable environment for organization development should be provided.

PHARMACIST WORK STRESS AND LEARNING FROM QUALITY RELATED EVENTS

PubMed Central

Boyle, Todd A.; Bishop, Andrea; Morrison, Bobbi; Murphy, Andrea; Barker, James; Ashcroft, Darren M.; Phipps, Denham; Mahaffey, Thomas; MacKinnon, Neil

2016-01-01

Background Among the many stresses faced by pharmacy staff, quality related event (QRE) learning can be among the most significant. In the absence of a supportive organizational culture, the potential for blaming individuals, versus identifying key process flaws, is significant and can be very intimidating to those involved in such discussions and may increase an already stressful work environment. Objective This research develops and tests a model of the relationship between the work stress faced by pharmacists and the extent of QRE learning in community pharmacies. Building upon recent research models that explore job characteristics and safety climate, the model proposes that work stress captured by the effort that the pharmacist invests into job performance, the extent to which the pharmacist is rewarded for such efforts, and the extent of pharmacist work-related commitment to their job, influence pharmacist assessment of the working conditions within their community pharmacy. It is further proposed that working conditions influence the extent of a blame culture and safety focus in the pharmacy, which, in turn, influences organizational learning from QREs. Methods This research formed part of a larger study focused on QRE reporting in community pharmacies. As part of the larger study, a total of 1035 questionnaires were mailed to community pharmacists, pharmacy managers, and pharmacy owners in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan during the fall of 2013 and winter and spring of 2014. Partial least squares (PLS) using SmartPLS was selected to test and further develop the proposed model. An examination of the statistical significance of latent variable paths, convergent validity, construct reliability, discriminant validity, and variance explained was used to assess the overall quality of the model. Results Of the 1035 questionnaire sent, a total of 432 questionnaires were returned for an initial response rate of approximately 42%. However, for this research

Pharmacist work stress and learning from quality related events.

PubMed

Boyle, Todd A; Bishop, Andrea; Morrison, Bobbi; Murphy, Andrea; Barker, James; Ashcroft, Darren M; Phipps, Denham; Mahaffey, Thomas; MacKinnon, Neil J

2016-01-01

Among the many stresses faced by pharmacy staff, quality related event (QRE) learning can be among the most significant. In the absence of a supportive organizational culture, the potential for blaming individuals, versus identifying key process flaws, is significant and can be very intimidating to those involved in such discussions and may increase an already stressful work environment. This research develops and tests a model of the relationship between the work stress faced by pharmacists and the extent of QRE learning in community pharmacies. Building upon recent research models that explore job characteristics and safety climate, the model proposes that work stress captured by the effort that the pharmacist invests into job performance, the extent to which the pharmacist is rewarded for such efforts, and the extent of pharmacist work-related commitment to their job, influence pharmacist assessment of the working conditions within their community pharmacy. It is further proposed that working conditions influence the extent of a blame culture and safety focus in the pharmacy, which, in turn, influences organizational learning from QREs. This research formed part of a larger study focused on QRE reporting in community pharmacies. As part of the larger study, a total of 1035 questionnaires were mailed to community pharmacists, pharmacy managers, and pharmacy owners in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan during the fall of 2013 and winter and spring of 2014. Partial least squares (PLS) using SmartPLS was selected to test and further develop the proposed model. An examination of the statistical significance of latent variable paths, convergent validity, construct reliability, discriminant validity, and variance explained was used to assess the overall quality of the model. Of the 1035 questionnaire sent, a total of 432 questionnaires were returned for an initial response rate of approximately 42%. However, for this research, only questionnaires from staff

Soft qualities in healthcare. Method and tools for soft qualities design in hospitals' built environments.

PubMed

Capolongo, S; Bellini, E; Nachiero, D; Rebecchi, A; Buffoli, M

2014-01-01

The design of hospital environments is determined by functional requirements and technical regulations, as well as numerous protocols, which define the structure and system characteristics that such environments need to achieve. In order to improve people's well-being and the quality of their experience within public hospitals, design elements (soft qualities) are added to those 'necessary' features. The aim of this research has been to experiment a new design process and also to create health care spaces with high environmental quality and capable to meet users' emotional and perceptual needs. Such needs were investigated with the help of qualitative research tools and the design criteria for one of these soft qualities - colour - were subsequently defined on the basis of the findings. The colour scheme design for the new San Paolo Hospital Emergency Department in Milan was used as case study. Focus groups were fundamental in defining the project's goals and criteria. The issues raised have led to believe that the proper procedure is not the mere consultation of the users in order to define the goals: users should rather be involved in the whole design process and become co-agents of the choices that determine the environment characteristics, so as to meet the quality requirements identified by the users themselves. The case study has shown the possibility of developing a designing methodology made by three steps (or operational tools) in which users' groups are involved in the choices, loading to plan the environments where compliance with expectations is already implied and verified by means of the process itself. Thus, the method leads to the creation of soft qualities in Healthcare.

Shift Work and Sleep Quality Among Urban Police Officers

PubMed Central

Fekedulegn, Desta; Burchfiel, Cecil M.; Charles, Luenda E.; Hartley, Tara A.; Andrew, Michael E.; Violanti, John M.

2016-01-01

Objective The aim of the study was to examine association of shift work with sleep quality in police officers. Methods Data were obtained from the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress study (n =363). An electronic work history database was used to define shift as day, afternoon, or night for three durations: past month, 1 year, and 15 years. Sleep quality was determined using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results The overall prevalence of poor sleep quality was 54%; 44% for day, 60% for afternoon, and 69% for night shift. Poor sleep quality was 70% more prevalent among night-shift officers (P <0.001) and 49% higher among those on the afternoon shift (P =0.003) relative to officers working on the day shift. Conclusions Night and evening work schedules are associated with elevated prevalence of poor sleep quality among police officers. PMID:26949891

Developing critical care skills for nurses in the ward environment: a work-based learning approach.

PubMed

Thorne, Linda; Hackwood, Helen

2002-01-01

An account of collaborative working between an NHS trust and university in responding to the critical care agenda. An 'Introduction to Critical Care Skills' course initiative, which addresses the needs of nurses caring for level 1 and 2 patients in ward areas, is discussed. Work-based learning forms the focus of skills development using core competencies related to a holistic approach to caring for patients with complex needs. A dynamic evolving process of course development is promoting quality care for patients and closely reflects the needs of those caring for acutely ill patients outside the designated critical care environment.

The psychosocial work environment is associated with risk of stroke at working age.

PubMed

Jood, Katarina; Karlsson, Nadine; Medin, Jennie; Pessah-Rasmussen, Hélène; Wester, Per; Ekberg, Kerstin

2017-07-01

Objective The aim of this study was to explore the relation between the risk of first-ever stroke at working age and psychological work environmental factors. Methods A consecutive multicenter matched 1:2 case-control study of acute stroke cases (N=198, age 30-65 years) who had been working full-time at the time of their stroke and 396 sex- and age-matched controls. Stroke cases and controls answered questionnaires on their psychosocial situation during the previous 12 months. The psychosocial work environment was assessed using three different measures: the job-control-demand model, the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) score, and exposures to conflict at work. Results Among 198 stroke cases and 396 controls, job strain [odds ratio (OR) 1.30, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.05-1.62], ERI (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.01-1.62), and conflict at work (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.07-2.88) were independent risk factors of stroke in multivariable regression models. Conclusions Adverse psychosocial working conditions during the past 12 months were more frequently observed among stroke cases. Since these factors are presumably modifiable, interventional studies targeting job strain and emotional work environment are warranted.

Development of the Competitive Work Environment Scale: A Multidimensional Climate Construct

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, Thomas D.; Nusbaum, David N.

2010-01-01

Recent research suggests that competitive work environments may influence individual's attitudes, behaviors, stress, and performance. Unfortunately, adequate measures of competitive environments are lacking. This article traces the development of a new multidimensional competitive work environment scale. An initial 59-item pool covering five…

Indoor air quality in public utility environments-a review.

PubMed

Śmiełowska, Monika; Marć, Mariusz; Zabiegała, Bożena

2017-04-01

Indoor air quality has been the object of interest for scientists and specialists from the fields of science such as chemistry, medicine and ventilation system design. This results from a considerable number of potential factors, which may influence the quality of the broadly understood indoor air in a negative way. Poor quality of indoor air in various types of public utility buildings may significantly affect an increase in the incidence of various types of civilisation diseases. This paper presents information about a broad spectrum of chemical compounds that were identified and determined in the indoor environment of various types of public utility rooms such as churches, museums, libraries, temples and hospitals. An analysis of literature data allowed for identification of the most important transport paths of chemical compounds that significantly influence the quality of the indoor environment and thus the comfort of living and the health of persons staying in it.

Work experience, work environment, and blood exposure among home care and hospice nurses.

PubMed

Leiss, Jack K

2012-01-01

Blood exposure rates among home care and hospice nurses (RNs) in the United States are markedly lower for nurses with more home care/hospice experience, whether or not they have more total years of nursing experience (i.e., in other work environments). This study examined whether the protective effect of home care/hospice experience was greater for nurses who worked under three types of circumstances that are typical of the home care/hospice work environment and conducive to blood exposure. A mail survey was conducted in 2006 among home care/hospice nurses in North Carolina, a largely rural state in the southeastern U.S. The adjusted response rate was 69% (n=833). Blood exposure rates were higher among nurses with ≤5 years' experience in home care/hospice. Contrary to expectations, the protective effect of more experience was greater among nurses who did not have limited access to safety devices/personal protective equipment, did not have to rush during home visits, and did not often visit homes with unrestrained pets, unruly children, poor lighting, or extreme clutter. These results suggest that characteristics of the home care/hospice work environment limit nurses' ability to use their experience to prevent blood exposure.

Effects of nurse work environment on job dissatisfaction, burnout, intention to leave.

PubMed

Nantsupawat, A; Kunaviktikul, W; Nantsupawat, R; Wichaikhum, O-A; Thienthong, H; Poghosyan, L

2017-03-01

The nursing shortage is a critical issue in many countries. High turnover rates among nurses is contributing to the shortage, and job dissatisfaction, intention to leave, and burnout have been identified as some of the predictors of nurse turnover. A well-established body of evidence demonstrates that the work environment for nurses influences nurse job dissatisfaction, intention to leave, and burnout, but there never has been a study undertaken in Thailand to investigate this relationship. To investigate how work environment affects job dissatisfaction, burnout, and intention to leave among nurses in Thailand. The study used a cross-sectional survey to collect data from 1351 nurses working in 43 inpatient units in five university hospitals across Thailand. The participants completed the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and measures of job dissatisfaction and intention to leave. Logistical regression models assessed the association between work environment and nurse-reported job dissatisfaction, burnout, and intent to leave. Nurses working in university hospitals with better work environments had significantly less job dissatisfaction, intention to leave, and burnout. The nurse work environment is a significant feature contributing to nurse retention in Thai university hospitals. Improving the work environment for nurses may lead to lower levels of job dissatisfaction, intention to leave, and burnout. Focusing on these nurse outcomes can be used as a strategy to retain nurses in the healthcare system. Addressing the challenges of poor work environments requires coordinated action from policymakers and health managers. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Work environment and occupational risk assessment for small animal Portuguese veterinary activities.

PubMed

Macedo, Angela C; Mota, Vânia T; Tavares, João M; Machado, Osvaldo L; Malcata, Francisco X; Cristo, Marinela P; Mayan, Olga N

2018-03-01

The professional work of small animal veterinary staff encompasses a wide diversity of demanding tasks. This has prompted a number of studies covering physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, or psychological hazards, as well as their health effects upon veterinary workers. However, such results were obtained from self-reported surveys (via paper or online). This study reports the identification of potential hazards and provides a risk assessment of 15 veterinary clinics based on data from walk-through surveys, interviews with workers, and quantification of indoor air quality parameters including concentration of volatile organic compounds (total, isoflurane, and glutaraldehyde). The risk arising from X-ray exposure was unacceptable in seven clinics; X-ray examination should be discontinued in the absence of isolated radiation rooms, poor safety practices, and lack of personal protective equipment. Ergonomic-related hazards and work practices should be revised as soon as possible, considering that improper postures, as well as moving and lifting heavy animals are major causes of musculoskeletal disorders. The risk levels were, in general, small or medium (acceptable) with regard to exposure to physical hazards (such as bites, scratches, cuts, and burns) and biological hazards. It was observed that the indoor air quality parameters including temperature, respirable particulate matter and total volatile organic compounds do not indicate a comfortable workplace environment, requiring clinics' attention to keep the safe environment. The veterinarians and nurses were exposed to isoflurane (above 2 ppm) during surgery if an extractor system for waste gas was used instead of a scavenging system. Finally, veterinary workers did not possess any type of training on occupational safety and health issues, even though they recognized its importance.

Work and the Perceived Quality of Life. A Final Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-12-01

The experience of work has the potential to substantially influence the perceived quality of life (pQL). The goal of this research program was to...Job satisfaction, life satisfaction, quality of life , quality of work life, unemployment, work-family conflict, job involvement, family involvement, job importance.

Measuring the nursing work environment: translation and psychometric evaluation of the Essentials of Magnetism.

PubMed

de Brouwer, B J M; Kaljouw, M J; Kramer, M; Schmalenberg, C; van Achterberg, T

2014-03-01

Translate the Essentials of Magnetism II© (EOMII; Dutch Nurses' Association, Utrecht, The Netherlands) and assess its psychometric properties in a culture different from its origin. The EOMII, developed in the USA, measures the extent to which organizations/units provide healthy, productive and satisfying work environments. As many healthcare organizations are facing difficulties in attracting and retaining staff nurses, the EOMII provides the opportunity to assess the health and effectiveness of work environments. A three-phased (respectively N = 13, N = 74 and N = 2542) combined descriptive and correlational design was undertaken for translation and evaluation validity and psychometric qualities of the EOMII for Dutch hospitals (December 2009-January 2010). We performed forward-backward translation, face and content validation via cross-sectional survey research, and semi-structured interviews on relevance, clarity, and recognizability of instruments' items. Psychometric testing included principal component analysis using varimax rotation, item-total statistics, and reliability in terms of internal consistency (Cronbach's α) for the total scale and its subscales. Face validity was confirmed. Items were recognizable, relevant and clear. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that five of eight subscales formed clear factors. Three original subscales contained two factors. Item-total correlations ranged from 0.43 to 0.83. One item correlated weakly (0.24) with its subscale. Cronbach's α for the entire scale was 0.92 and ranged from 0.58 to 0.92 for eight subscales. Dutch-translated EOMII (D-EOMII) demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity for assessing hospital staff nurses' work environment. The D-EOMII can be useful and effective in identifying areas in which change is needed for a hospital to pursue an excellent work environment that attracts and retains well-qualified nurses. © 2013 International Council of Nurses.

The attribution of work environment in explaining gender differences in long-term sickness absence: results from the prospective DREAM study.

PubMed

Labriola, Merete; Holte, Kari Anne; Christensen, Karl Bang; Feveile, Helene; Alexanderson, Kristina; Lund, Thomas

2011-09-01

To identify differences in risk of long-term sickness absence between female and male employees in Denmark and to examine to what extent differences could be explained by work environment factors. A cohort of 5026 employees (49.1% women, mean age 40.4years; 50.9% men, mean age 40.2years) was interviewed in 2000 regarding gender, age, family status, socio-economic position and psychosocial and physical work environment factors. The participants were followed for 18months in order to assess their incidence of long-term sickness absence exceeding 8 consecutive weeks. 298 workers (5.9%) received sickness absence compensation for 8weeks or more. Women had an excess risk of 37% compared to men, when adjusting for age, family status and socio-economic position. Physical work environment exposures could not explain this difference, whereas differences in psychosocial work environment exposures explained 32% of the differences in risk of long-term sickness absence between men and women, causing the effect of gender to become statistically insignificant. The combined effect of physical and psychosocial factors was similar, explaining 30% of the gender difference. Differences in psychosocial work environments in terms of emotional demands, reward at work, management quality and role conflicts, explained roughly 30% of women's excess long-term sickness absence risk. Assuming women and men had identical working conditions would leave the larger part of the gender difference in long-term sickness absence from work unexplained.

Development of the Student Affairs Officers Work Environment Perception Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, Derrick E.

2010-01-01

The qualitative and quantitative study developed and validated a questionnaire to measure Student Affairs Officers' (SAO) perceptions of the work environment. A review of the literature identified five major categories and 25 elements having an impact on SAOs' perceptions of the work environment. The test instrument (questionnaire) was developed…

Mental wellbeing of children engaged in agricultural work activities and quality of family environment.

PubMed

Lachowski, Stanisław; Lachowska, Bogusława

2007-01-01

A considerable percentage of Polish children from agricultural families are engaged by their parents in performing work activities on farms. The performance of these tasks arouses various emotional reactions in children, from the feeling of threat, fear and anxiety, to the feeling of satisfaction, being contented and proud. The subjective feeling of happiness and life satisfaction is an extremely important factor affecting the mental health and functioning of a human being. The objective of the study was to show to what extent the quality of communication between children and parents, and the level of family cohesion and adaptability according to the Circumplex Model by D. H. Olson et al., modifies children's emotional reactions associated with the tasks performed. The study covered 192 children aged 12-13, whose parents were running a family farm. Growing up in a healthy family characterised by a balanced level of cohesion, adaptability and good communication with the father and mother, favours the occurrence in children of pleasant emotions in reaction to work which they undertake on behalf of their parents on a farm. In such families, more often than in families with bad communication and dysfunctional families (disengaged, rigid), children experience satisfaction, have a feeling of deepening bonds with their parents, and the feeling of being more adult and preparing themselves well for adult life. Family characteristics which are evidence of disorders in its functioning (lack of good communication with the father, mother, lack of bonds between family members, rigid, chaos in a family) co-occur with the child experiencing unpleasant emotional states in associated with the work performed, there occur feelings of dissatisfaction, unhappiness, unpleasantness, the feeling that it would be better to learn than to work.

Environment quality monitoring using ARM processor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinaya, C. H.; Krishna Thanikanti, Vamsi; Ramasamy, Sudha

2017-11-01

This paper of air quality monitoring system describes a model of sensors network to continuously monitoring the environment with low cost developed model. At present time all over the world turned into a great revolution in industrial domain and on the other hand environment get polluting in a dangerous value. There are so many technologies present to reduce the polluting contents but still there is no completely reduction of that pollution. Even there are different methods to monitor the pollution content; these are much costly that not everyone can adapt those methods or devices. Now we are proposing a sensors connected network to monitor the environment continuously and displaying the pollutant gases percentage in air surroundings and can transmit the results to our mobiles by message. The advantage of this system is easy to design, establish at area to monitor, maintenance and most cost effective as well.

The impact of poor psychosocial work environment on non-work-related sickness absence.

PubMed

Catalina-Romero, C; Sainz, J C; Pastrana-Jiménez, J I; García-Diéguez, N; Irízar-Muñoz, I; Aleixandre-Chiva, J L; Gonzalez-Quintela, A; Calvo-Bonacho, E

2015-08-01

We aimed to analyse the impact of psychosocial work environment on non-work-related sickness absence (NWRSA) among a prospective cohort study, stratified using a random sampling technique. Psychosocial variables were assessed among 15,643 healthy workers using a brief version of the Spanish adaptation of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. A one year follow-up assessed the total count of NWRSA days. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression was used for multivariate analyses. After adjusting for covariates, low levels of job control and possibilities for development (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.01-1.36 [men]; OR: 1.39 95% CI: 1.09-1.77 [women]), poor social support and quality of leadership (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.11-1.50 [men]; OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.01-1.63 [women]), and poor rewards (OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.14-1.57 [men]; OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.01-1.66 [women]) predicted a total count of sickness absence greater than zero, in both men and women. Double presence was also significantly associated with NWRSA different than 0, but only among women (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.08-1.81). Analyses found no association between psychosocial risk factors at work and the total count (i.e., number of days) of sickness absences. The results suggest that work-related psychosocial factors may increase the likelihood of initiating an NWRSA episode, but were not associated with the length of the sickness absence episode. Among our large cohort we observed that some associations were gender-dependent, suggesting that future research should consider gender when designing psychosocial interventions aimed at decreasing sickness absences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using a strengths-based approach to build caring work environments.

PubMed

Henry, Linda S; Henry, James D

2007-12-01

The current health care environment has a growing shortage of nurses and other health care professionals. Health care organizations face the twofold task of retaining employees and preventing "brain drain". A caring work environment can be instrumental in attracting and retaining productive and loyal employees, leading to increased employee and patient satisfaction and a positively impacted bottom line. A strengths-based approach powerfully and effectively promotes and nurtures a caring work environment in all health care specialties and organizations.

Water quality of hydrologic bench marks; an indicator of water quality in the natural environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Biesecker, James E.; Leifeste, Donald K.

1974-01-01

Water-quality data, collected at 57 hydrologic bench-mark stations in 37 States, allow the definition of water quality in the 'natural' environment and the comparison of 'natural' water quality with water quality of major streams draining similar water-resources regions. Results indicate that water quality in the 'natural' environment is generally very good. Streams draining hydrologic bench-mark basins generally contain low concentrations of dissolved constituents. Water collected at the hydrologic bench-mark stations was analyzed for the following minor metals: arsenic, barium, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, and zinc. Of 642 analyses, about 65 percent of the observed concentrations were zero. Only three samples contained metals in excess of U.S. Public Health Service recommended drinking-water standards--two selenium concentrations and one cadmium concentration. A total of 213 samples were analyzed for 11 pesticidal compounds. Widespread but very low-level occurrence of pesticide residues in the 'natural' environment was found--about 30 percent of all samples contained low-level concentrations of pesticidal compounds. The DDT family of pesticides occurred most commonly, accounting for 75 percent of the detected occurrences. The highest observed concentration of DDT was 0.06 microgram per litre, well below the recommended maximum permissible in drinking water. Nitrate concentrations in the 'natural' environment generally varied from 0.2 to 0.5 milligram per litre. The average concentration of nitrate in many major streams is as much as 10 times greater. The relationship between dissolved-solids concentration and discharge per unit area in the 'natural' environment for the various physical divisions in the United States has been shown to be an applicable tool for approximating 'natural' water quality. The relationship between dissolved-solids concentration and discharge per unit area is applicable in all the physical

[Working environment and educational environment are two sides of the same coin].

PubMed

Kannegaard, Pia Nimann; Holm, Ellen Astrid

2014-01-20

Educational environment is of major importance for job satisfaction and it consists of several components including curriculum and values of the organization. Educational climate is the environment, as the individual physicians perceive it. Motivation is important for job satisfaction as well as for learning. Autonomy, responsibility, supervision, feedback are all important factors influencing motivation and learning. These factors must be supported through appropriate organization of work in hospital departments and in general practice.

Surveillance of working conditions and the work environment: development of a national hazard surveillance tool in New Zealand.

PubMed

Lilley, Rebbecca; Feyer, Anne-Marie; Firth, Hilda; Cunningham, Chris; Paul, Charlotte

2010-02-01

Changes to work and the impact of these changes on worker health and safety have been significant. A core surveillance data set is needed to understand the impact of working conditions and work environments. Yet, there is little harmony amongst international surveys and a critical lack of guidance identifying the best directions for surveillance efforts. This paper describes the establishment of an instrument suitable for use as a hazard surveillance tool for New Zealand workers. An iterative process of critical review was undertaken to create a dimensional framework and select specific measures from existing instruments. Pilot testing to ascertain participant acceptability of the questions was undertaken. The final questionnaire includes measures of socio-demographic characteristics, occupational history, work organisation, physicochemical, ergonomic and psychosocial hazards. Outcome measures were also included. A robust New Zealand hazard surveillance questionnaire comprehensively covering the key measures of work organisation and work environments that impact upon worker health and safety outcomes was developed. Recommended measures of work organisation, work environment and health outcomes that should be captured in work environment surveillance are made.

Analysis of Community Participation Levels of Individuals Who Are Physically Disabled and Working in Industrial Environments.

PubMed

Tonak, Hasan Atacan; Kitis, Ali; Zencir, Mehmet

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine quality of life, leisure time satisfaction, activity performance, and community participation and analyze the relationship between these determinants and community participation in both physically disabled individuals working in industrial environments and nonworking individuals who are physically disabled. Sociodemographic data was registered into a sociodemographic form. World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 was used to assess community participation. Activity performance was evaluated with Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Leisure Satisfaction Scale was used to determine leisure time satisfaction. Short Form-36 was used for evaluating quality of life. When the participants were compared in terms of working status, a significant difference according to their WHO-DAS-II total scores were found (p < 0.05). When all participants were compared in terms of activity performance, lesisure time satisfaction, quality of life a significant differences according to their WHO-DAS-II total scores were found (p>0.05). This study shows that community participation was affected by working status, disability level, activity performance, leisure time satisfaction and quality of life. In this regard, occupational therapy and physiotherapy approaches were found necessary for developing community participation. We conclude that this study's results can be used as a guide for community participation in disabled people in community based rehabilitation politics.

Gendered Learning Environments in Managerial Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gustavsson, Maria; Eriksson, Anna Fogelberg

2010-01-01

The aim is to investigate female and male managers' learning environments with particular focus on their opportunities for and barriers to learning and career development in the managerial work of a male-dominated industrial company. In the case study 42 managers, 15 women and 27 men in the company were interviewed. The findings demonstrate that…

Incidence of work injuries amongst Danish adolescents and their association with work environment factors.

PubMed

Rasmussen, Kurt; Hansen, Claus D; Nielsen, Kent J; Andersen, Johan H

2011-02-01

The objective was to examine the incidence of work accidents that required medical attention among Danish adolescents and to identify possible work environment factors associated with such accidents. We collected information in two questionnaire rounds (2004 and 2007) from a birth cohort comprising all adolescents born in 1989 (n = 3,687) living in Ringkjøbing County, Denmark. The questionnaire contained items on self-reported number of accidents and number of working hours in both rounds and on work environment factors in the second round. Approximately 5% of the adolescents who held a job, experienced a work injury at the age of 17. This equals an incidence of 65 accidents per million working hours. Most adolescents had decent working conditions, although nearly half reported that their work was heavy, monotonous or psychologically demanding. Heavy work, high psychological demands and low social support increased the risk of experiencing work injuries after adjustment for a number of factors. The incidence of work injuries among adolescents appears to be higher than the incidence among their older colleagues. Lack of social support from management significantly raised adolescents' risk of experiencing a work injury. This suggests that more direct supervision may be a good way of preventing accidents in this age group. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Relation between Work-Family Balance and Quality of Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenhaus, Jeffrey H.; Collins, Karen M.; Shaw, Jason D.

2003-01-01

The relationship between work-family balance and quality of life was assessed for 353 accounting professionals. Those who spent more time on family than work experienced higher quality of life than balanced individuals, who experienced higher quality than those who spent more time on work. Findings were similar for level of involvement balance and…

Organizational Work and the Perceived Quality of Life: Toward a Conceptual Model.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-08-01

portion of Figure 2, arrows from the environment (A or B) and from the person ( C ) join together and lead to domain activities (D or E ) as a way of...thereby enhancing the perceived quality of marital life, and ultimately an improved pQL overall (path B- E - C -D-F-J-L in Figure 2). A single work variable may...from the two domain-related activities (A- C , B- C , D- C , or E - C ). All arrows leading into either of the two environmental sectors (A and B) rep- V

Pay, working conditions, and teacher quality.

PubMed

Hanushek, Eric A; Rivkin, Steven G

2007-01-01

Eric Hanushek and Steven Rivkin examine how salary and working conditions affect the quality of instruction in the classroom. The wages of teachers relative to those of other college graduates have fallen steadily since 1940. Today, average wages differ little, however, between urban and suburban districts. In some metropolitan areas urban districts pay more, while in others, suburban districts pay more. But working conditions in urban and suburban districts differ substantially, with urban teachers reporting far less administrator and parental support, worse materials, and greater student problems. Difficult working conditions may drive much of the difference in turnover of teachers and the transfer of teachers across schools. Using rich data from Texas public schools, the authors describe in detail what happens when teachers move from school to school. They examine how salaries and student characteristics change when teachers move and also whether turnover affects teacher quality and student achievement. They note that both wages and student characteristics affect teachers' choices and result in a sorting of teachers across schools, but they find little evidence that teacher transitions are detrimental to student learning. The extent to which variations in salaries and working conditions translate into differences in the quality of instruction depends importantly on the effectiveness of school personnel policies in hiring and retaining the most effective teachers and on constraints on both entry into the profession and the firing of low performers. The authors conclude that overall salary increases for teachers would be both expensive and ineffective. The best way to improve the quality of instruction would be to lower barriers to becoming a teacher, such as certification, and to link compensation and career advancement more closely with teachers' ability to raise student performance.

Starting Labor-Management Quality of Work Life Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brower, Michael

This report summarizes the experiences of the Massachusetts Quality of Working Life Center in assisting the attempted and actual start-up of a number of quality of work life (QWL) programs in 1976 and 1977 and in providing ongoing assistance. Lessons learned by the three sites the center launched, other sites, as well as those sites that chose not…

[Quality of work life in nursing staff].

PubMed

Zavala, María Olga Quintana; Klijn, Tatiana Maria Paravic

2014-01-01

This article deals with aspects that are related to work, quality of life, and its relationship with the nursing staff within the Mexican context. Professionals in health areas present alterations that are commonly overlooked and barely dealt with, especially when the person is a woman and, the care they give to patients, families, and/or friends, or community members, precede their own self care. In the case of institutions or work areas, even when the job provides human beings with several benefits, it usually lacks the proper conditions to perform the job, carries negatives aspects or pathological conditions, all which can relate to poor levels of Quality of Life at Work. Members of the nursing team need to perform their work in the best possible conditions in order to maintain their physical and mental health.

Home and Work Neighborhood Environments in Relation to Body Mass Index: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

PubMed Central

Moore, Kari; Diez Roux, Ana V.; Auchincloss, Amy; Evenson, Kelly R.; Kaufman, Joel; Mujahid, Mahasin; Williams, Kayleen

2013-01-01

Background Little is known about neighborhood characteristics of workplaces, the extent to which they are independently and synergistically correlated with residential environments, and their impact on health. Methods This study investigated cross-sectional relationships between home and workplace neighborhood environments with body mass index (BMI) in 1,503 working participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) with mean age 59.6 (SD=7.4). Neighborhood features were socioeconomic status (SES), social environment (aesthetic quality, safety, and social cohesion), and physical environment (walking environment, recreational facilities, and food stores) derived from census data, locational data on businesses, and survey data. Paired t-tests and correlations compared environments overall and by distance between locations. Cross-classified multi-level models estimated associations with BMI. Results Home neighborhoods had more favorable social environments while workplaces had more favorable SES and physical environments. Workplace and home measures were correlated (0.39–0.70) and differences between home and workplaces were larger as distance increased. Associations between BMI and neighborhood SES and recreational facilities were stronger for home environment (P≤0.05) but did not significantly differ for healthy food, safety, or social cohesion. Healthy food availability at home and work appeared to act synergistically (interaction P=0.01). Conclusions Consideration of workplace environment may enhance our understanding of how place affects BMI. PMID:23868527

Bidirectional relations between work-related stress, sleep quality and perseverative cognition.

PubMed

Van Laethem, Michelle; Beckers, Debby G J; Kompier, Michiel A J; Kecklund, Göran; van den Bossche, Seth N J; Geurts, Sabine A E

2015-11-01

In this longitudinal two-wave study, bidirectional relations between work-related stress and sleep quality were examined. Moreover, it was investigated whether perseverative cognition is a potential underlying mechanism in this association, related to both work-related stress and sleep quality. A randomly selected sample of Dutch employees received an online survey in 2012 and 2013. Of all invited employees, 877 participated in both waves. Structural equation modeling was performed to analyze the data. We found evidence for reversed relations between work-related stress and sleep quality. Specifically, when controlling for perseverative cognition, work-related stress was not directly related to subsequent sleep quality, but low sleep quality was associated with an increase in work-related stress over time. Moreover, negative bidirectional associations over time were found between perseverative cognition and sleep quality, and positive bidirectional associations were found between work-related stress and perseverative cognition. Lastly, a mediation analysis showed that perseverative cognition fully mediated the relationship between work-related stress and sleep quality. The study findings suggest that perseverative cognition could be an important underlying mechanism in the association between work-related stress and sleep quality. The bidirectionality of the studied relationships could be an indication of a vicious cycle, in which work-related stress, perseverative cognition, and sleep quality mutually influence each other over time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship of psychosocial work factors and health-related quality of life in male automotive assembly workers in Malaysia.

PubMed

Edimansyah, Bin Abdin; Rusli, Bin Nordin; Naing, Lin; Mohamed Rusli, Bin Abdullah; Winn, Than

2007-06-01

The present study investigates the relationship between psychosocial work factors and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in male automotive assembly plant workers in Malaysia. A total of 728 male workers were recruited in March-July 2005 from 2 major automotive assembly plants in Selangor and Pahang. In this cross-sectional study, information on socio-demography, psychosocial work factors using the 97-item Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and an abbreviated 26-item version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire containing 4 domains (physical health, psychological, social relationship, and environment) was self-administered to all workers involved. The prevalence of reported good or very good overall HRQOL and general health was 64.9% and 53.7%, respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that created skill was positively associated with physical health and psychological domains; whilst, skill discretion was positively associated with social relationship and environment domains. Social support was positively associated with physical health and environment domains; whilst, co-worker support was positively associated with psychological and social relationship domains. Job insecurity and hazardous condition were negatively associated with all domains, whilst psychological job demands was negatively associated with the environment domain of HRQOL.

What Managers Do to Create Healthy Work Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kroth, Michael; Boverie, Patricia; Zondlo, John

2007-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to determine what successful managers do to create healthy work environments in a healthcare organization. Managers using exemplary behaviors were selected and interviewed based on employee satisfaction surveys, and focus groups were conducted with employees who worked for them. Effective…

Associations Among Parental Education, Home Environment Quality, Effortful Control, and Preacademic Knowledge

PubMed Central

Merz, Emily C.; Landry, Susan H.; Williams, Jeffrey M.; Barnes, Marcia A.; Eisenberg, Nancy; Spinrad, Tracy L.; Valiente, Carlos; Assel, Michael; Taylor, Heather B.; Lonigan, Christopher J.; Phillips, Beth M.; Clancy-Menchetti, Jeanine

2014-01-01

This study used a longitudinal design to examine whether effortful control mediated the associations of parental education and home environment quality with preacademic knowledge in toddlers and young preschoolers. The sample consisted of 226 children (2 to 4 years of age at T1) from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Parents provided data on parent education and home environment quality. Children completed effortful control, early literacy, and early math assessments. T2 effortful control partially mediated the associations of T1 parental education and T1 home environment quality with T3 emergent literacy after accounting for child age, gender, race/ethnicity, T1 effortful control, and T2 early literacy. T2 effortful control partially mediated the association between T1 parental education and T3 emergent math after accounting for child age, gender, race/ethnicity, T1 effortful control, and T2 early math. Prior to entry into preschool, parental education and home environment quality may shape effortful control which in turn influences preacademic knowledge. PMID:25110382

Work conditions, mental workload and patient care quality: a multisource study in the emergency department.

PubMed

Weigl, Matthias; Müller, Andreas; Holland, Stephan; Wedel, Susanne; Woloshynowych, Maria

2016-07-01

Workflow interruptions, multitasking and workload demands are inherent to emergency departments (ED) work systems. Potential effects of ED providers' work on care quality and patient safety have, however, been rarely addressed. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and associations of ED staff's workflow interruptions, multitasking and workload with patient care quality outcomes. We applied a mixed-methods design in a two-step procedure. First, we conducted a time-motion study to observe the rate of interruptions and multitasking activities. Second, during 20-day shifts we assessed ED staff's reports on workflow interruptions, multitasking activities and mental workload. Additionally, we assessed two care quality indicators with standardised questionnaires: first, ED patients' evaluations of perceived care quality; second, patient intrahospital transfers evaluated by ward staff. The study was conducted in a medium-sized community ED (16 600 annual visits). ED personnel's workflow was disrupted on average 5.63 times per hour. 30% of time was spent on multitasking activities. During 20 observations days, data were gathered from 76 ED professionals, 239 patients and 205 patient transfers. After aggregating daywise data and controlling for staffing levels, prospective associations revealed significant negative associations between ED personnel's mental workload and patients' perceived quality of care. Conversely, workflow interruptions were positively associated with patient-related information on discharge and overall quality of transfer. Our investigation indicated that ED staff's capability to cope with demanding work conditions was associated with patient care quality. Our findings contribute to an improved understanding of the complex effects of interruptions and multitasking in the ED environment for creating safe and efficient ED work and care systems. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a

Exploring Environment-Intervention Fit: A Study of a Work Environment Intervention Program for the Care Sector.

PubMed

Smith, Louise Hardman; Aust, Birgit; Flyvholm, Mari-Ann

2015-01-01

Targeting occupational health and safety interventions to different groups of employees and sectors is important. The aim of this study was to explore the environment-intervention fit of a Danish psychosocial work environment intervention program for the residential and home care sector. Focus group interviews with employees and interviews with mangers were conducted at 12 selected workplaces and a questionnaire survey was conducted with managers at all 115 workplaces. The interventions enhanced the probability of employees experiencing more "good" work days, where they could make a difference to the lives of clients. The interventions may therefore be characterized as culturally compelling and having a good fit with the immediate work environment of employees. The interventions furthermore seemed to fit well with the wider organizational environment and with recent changes in the societal and economic context of workplaces. However, some workplaces had difficulties with involving all employees and adapting the interventions to the organization of work. The findings suggest that flexibility and a variety of strategies to involve all employees are important aspects, if interventions are to fit well with the care sector. The focus on employees' conceptualization of a "good" work day may be useful for intervention research in other sectors.

Exploring Environment-Intervention Fit: A Study of a Work Environment Intervention Program for the Care Sector

PubMed Central

Aust, Birgit; Flyvholm, Mari-Ann

2015-01-01

Targeting occupational health and safety interventions to different groups of employees and sectors is important. The aim of this study was to explore the environment-intervention fit of a Danish psychosocial work environment intervention program for the residential and home care sector. Focus group interviews with employees and interviews with mangers were conducted at 12 selected workplaces and a questionnaire survey was conducted with managers at all 115 workplaces. The interventions enhanced the probability of employees experiencing more “good” work days, where they could make a difference to the lives of clients. The interventions may therefore be characterized as culturally compelling and having a good fit with the immediate work environment of employees. The interventions furthermore seemed to fit well with the wider organizational environment and with recent changes in the societal and economic context of workplaces. However, some workplaces had difficulties with involving all employees and adapting the interventions to the organization of work. The findings suggest that flexibility and a variety of strategies to involve all employees are important aspects, if interventions are to fit well with the care sector. The focus on employees' conceptualization of a “good” work day may be useful for intervention research in other sectors. PMID:26380356

Interventions aimed at improving the nursing work environment: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Nursing work environments (NWEs) in Canada and other Western countries have increasingly received attention following years of restructuring and reported high workloads, high absenteeism, and shortages of nursing staff. Despite numerous efforts to improve NWEs, little is known about the effectiveness of interventions to improve NWEs. The aim of this study was to review systematically the scientific literature on implemented interventions aimed at improving the NWE and their effectiveness. Methods An online search of the databases CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, ABI, Academic Search Complete, HEALTHstar, ERIC, Psychinfo, and Embase, and a manual search of Emerald and Longwoods was conducted. (Quasi-) experimental studies with pre/post measures of interventions aimed at improving the NWE, study populations of nurses, and quantitative outcome measures of the nursing work environment were required for inclusion. Each study was assessed for methodological strength using a quality assessment and validity tool for intervention studies. A taxonomy of NWE characteristics was developed that would allow us to identify on which part of the NWE an intervention targeted for improvement, after which the effects of the interventions were examined. Results Over 9,000 titles and abstracts were screened. Eleven controlled intervention studies met the inclusion criteria, of which eight used a quasi-experimental design and three an experimental design. In total, nine different interventions were reported in the included studies. The most effective interventions at improving the NWE were: primary nursing (two studies), the educational toolbox (one study), the individualized care and clinical supervision (one study), and the violence prevention intervention (one study). Conclusions Little is known about the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving the NWE, and published studies on this topic show weaknesses in their design. To advance the field, we recommend that

Differences in the Psychosocial Work Environment of Different Types of Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Docker, John G.; And Others

1989-01-01

Discusses the use of the Work Environment Scale (WES) to measure teachers' perceptions of psychosocial dimensions of their school environment. Describes an application of WES in which work climates of different school types were compared and contrasted. (RJC)

Quality of work life in doctors working with cancer patients.

PubMed

Bragard, I; Dupuis, G; Razavi, D; Reynaert, C; Etienne, A-M

2012-01-01

Although studies have shown that medical residents experience poor psychological health and poor organizational conditions, their quality of work life (QWL) had not been measured. A new tool, the Quality of Work Life Systemic Inventory (QWLSI), proposes to fill the gap in the definition and assessment of this concept. To confirm the convergent validity of the QWLSI, analyse Belgian medical residents' QWL with the QWLSI and discuss an intervention methodology based on the analysis of the QWLSI. One hundred and thirteen medical residents participated between 2002 and 2006. They completed the QWLSI, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Job Stress Survey to confirm the correspondence between these three tools. Residents' low QWL predicted high emotional exhaustion (β = 0.282; P < 0.01) and job stress (β = 0.370; P < 0.001) levels, confirming the convergent validity. This sample of medical residents had an average QWL (μ = 5.8; SD = 3.1). However, their QWL was very low for three subscales: arrangement of work schedule (μ = 9; SD = 6.3), support offered to employee (μ = 7.6; SD = 6.1) and working relationship with superiors (μ = 6.9; SD = 5.3). The results confirm that the QWLSI can provide an indication of workers' health well-being and of organizational performance in different areas of work life. The problem factors found among Belgian medical residents suggest that prevention should focus on reduction of work hours, development of support and change in leadership style.

Assessment of the work environment of faculty of a Medical College in Pakistan.

PubMed

Saeed, Abid; Butt, Zahid Ahmad

2014-01-01

Extensive research is done on nursing work environments but less is known about the job conditions and environments of other health professionals. This study was aimed to fill this information gap by highlighting the factors affecting the work environment and stressors causing turnover of staff. A cross sectional study was conducted in Bolan Medical College Quetta for the assessment of working environment of the faculty from 22nd April to 22nd July 2012. All permanent teaching staff was included. A structured questionnaire was adopted fromI health sciences association of Alberta (HSSA), 2006 work Environment Survey. An observational check list for assessment of the physical environment /infrastructure and other general physical stuff was used. The faculty menibers were-not-satisfied with the security and safety of their work place but were satisfied with salaries, employer, and management. Work teams and relationship between employees and employers were respectful with good communication. Majority found their work times stressful and opportunities for on job trainings and professional development, adequate tools, equipment and conditions were mostly lacking. The overall working environment is not that good and few areas need serious attention like: professional development, trainings, adequate equipment, and security.

Health effects of wind turbines in working environments - a scoping review.

PubMed

Freiberg, Alice; Schefter, Christiane; Girbig, Maria; Murta, Vanise Cleto; Seidler, Andreas

2018-01-23

Objectives The wind industry is a growing economic sector, yet there is no overview summarizing all exposures emanating from wind turbines throughout their life cycle that may pose a risk for workers` health. The aim of this scoping review was to survey and outline the body of evidence around the health effects of wind turbines in working environments in order to identify research gaps and to highlight the need for further research. Methods A scoping review with a transparent and systematic procedure was conducted using a comprehensive search strategy. Two independent reviewers conducted most of the review steps. Results Twenty articles of varying methodical quality were included. Our findings of the included studies indicate that substances used in rotor blade manufacture (epoxy resin and styrene) cause skin disorders, and respectively, respiratory ailments and eye complaints; exposure to onshore wind turbine noise leads to annoyance, sleep disorders, and lowered general health; finally working in the wind industry is associated with a considerable accident rate, resulting in injuries or fatalities. Conclusions Due to the different work activities during the life cycle of a wind turbine and the distinction between on- and offshore work, there are no specific overall health effects of working in the wind sector. Previous research has primarily focused on evaluating the effects of working in the wind industry on skin disorders, accidents, and noise consequences. There is a need for further research, particularly in studying the effect of wind turbine work on psychological and musculoskeletal disorders, work-related injury and accident rates, and health outcomes in later life cycle phases.

Work-Family Conflict and Oral and General Health-Related Quality of Life.

PubMed

Singh, Kiran A; Spencer, A John; Roberts-Thomson, Kaye F; Brennan, David S

2015-08-01

The characteristics of the work environment and relationships with family roles may impact on health and be of public health significance. The aims were to investigate the cross-sectional association of work-family conflict with oral- and general health-related quality of life, and well-being. A random sample of 45-54-year olds from Adelaide, South Australia, was surveyed by self-complete questionnaire in 2004-2005 (n = 879, response rate = 43.8%). Health-related quality of life was measured with the OHIP-14 and EQ-VAS instruments, and well-being by the Satisfaction With Life Scale. In adjusted analyses controlling for sex, income, education, tooth brushing frequency and social support, the higher Family Interferes with Work (FIW) tertile and the middle tertile of Work Interferes with Family (WIF) were associated with more oral health-related impacts as measured by OHIP-14 in relation to problems with teeth, mouth or dentures (Beta = 1.64, P < 0.05 and Beta = 2.85, P < 0.01). Both middle and higher tertiles of WIF were associated with lower general health (Beta = -4.20 and -5.71, P < 0.01) and well-being (Beta = -1.17 and -1.56, P < 0.01). Work-family conflict was associated with more oral health impacts and lower general health and well-being among employed middle-aged adults. This supports the view of work-family conflict as a psychosocial risk factor for health outcomes spanning function, health perceptions and well-being, and encompassing both oral health and general health.

Using mediation techniques to manage conflict and create healthy work environments.

PubMed

Gerardi, Debra

2004-01-01

Healthcare organizations must find ways for managing conflict and developing effective working relationships to create healthy work environments. The effects of unresolved conflict on clinical outcomes, staff retention, and the financial health of the organization lead to many unnecessary costs that divert resources from clinical care. The complexity of delivering critical care services makes conflict resolution difficult. Developing collaborative working relationships helps to manage conflict in complex environments. Working relationships are based on the ability to deal with differences. Dealing with differences requires skill development and techniques for balancing interests and communicating effectively. Techniques used by mediators are effective for resolving disputes and developing working relationships. With practice, these techniques are easily transferable to the clinical setting. Listening for understanding, reframing, elevating the definition of the problem, and forming clear agreements can foster working relationships, decrease the level of conflict, and create healthy work environments that benefit patients and professionals.

Psychosocial work environment and mental health--a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Stansfeld, Stephen; Candy, Bridget

2006-12-01

To clarify the associations between psychosocial work stressors and mental ill health, a meta-analysis of psychosocial work stressors and common mental disorders was undertaken using longitudinal studies identified through a systematic literature review. The review used a standardized search strategy and strict inclusion and quality criteria in seven databases in 1994-2005. Papers were identified from 24,939 citations covering social determinants of health, 50 relevant papers were identified, 38 fulfilled inclusion criteria, and 11 were suitable for a meta-analysis. The Comprehensive Meta-analysis Programme was used for decision authority, decision latitude, psychological demands, and work social support, components of the job-strain and iso-strain models, and the combination of effort and reward that makes up the effort-reward imbalance model and job insecurity. Cochran's Q statistic assessed the heterogeneity of the results, and the I2 statistic determined any inconsistency between studies. Job strain, low decision latitude, low social support, high psychological demands, effort-reward imbalance, and high job insecurity predicted common mental disorders despite the heterogeneity for psychological demands and social support among men. The strongest effects were found for job strain and effort-reward imbalance. This meta-analysis provides robust consistent evidence that (combinations of) high demands and low decision latitude and (combinations of) high efforts and low rewards are prospective risk factors for common mental disorders and suggests that the psychosocial work environment is important for mental health. The associations are not merely explained by response bias. The impact of work stressors on common mental disorders differs for women and men.

The effects of dialogue groups on physicians' work environment: A matter of gender?

PubMed

Bergman, David; Liljefors, Ingrid; Palm, Kristina

2015-01-01

Over the past decades, the work environment of physicians has been deteriorating, particularly for female physicians. In this study, we evaluated the effects of dialogue groups on the work environment of physicians in relation to gender. Sixty physicians (38 women) at Sachs' Children's Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, participated in dialogue groups once a month during a period of one year. Assessments of their psychosocial work environment were performed before and after the intervention. At baseline, female physicians experienced their work environment as less satisfactory compared to male physicians. After the intervention, the female physicians perceived improvements in more areas than their male colleagues. Our study shows that female physicians at this clinic were disadvantaged in relation to the work environment, but, more importantly, the findings suggest that several of the disadvantages can be reduced. Dialogue groups appear to improve the physicians' work environment and promote gender equality.

[The working environment control of anhydride hardeners from an epoxy resin system].

PubMed

Matsumoto, Naomi; Yokota, Kozo; Johyama, Yasushi; Takakura, Toshiyuki

2003-07-01

Epoxy resins are widely used in adhesives, coatings, materials for molds and composites, and encapsulation. Acid anhydrides such as methyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride are being used as curing agents for epoxy resins. The anhydride hardeners are well-known industrial inhalant allergens, inducing predominantly type I allergies. In the electronic components industry, these substances have been consumed in large quantities. Therefore, safe use in the industry demands control of the levels of exposure causing allergic diseases in the workshop. We conducted a prospective survey of two electronics plants to clarify how to control the atmospheric level of the anhydrides in the work environment. Measurements of the levels of the anhydrides in air started according to the Working Environment Measurement Standards (Ministry of Labour Notification No. 46, 1976) in April 2000, along with improvements in the work environment. A value of 40 micrograms/m3 was adopted as the administrative control level to judge the propriety of the working environment control. A total of 2 unit work areas in both plants belonged to Control Class III. The exposure originated from manual loading, casting, uncured hot resins, and leaks in an impregnating-machine or curing ovens. In order to achieve the working environment control, complete enclosure of the source, installation of local exhaust ventilation, and improvement or maintenance of the local exhaust ventilation system were performed on the basis of the results of the working environment measurement, with the result that the work environment was improved (Control Class I). It became evident that these measures were effective just like other noxious substances.

Challenges of Working in a Multicultural Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howland, Joan S.

2001-01-01

Addresses challenges faced when working in a multicultural library setting and discusses the need for library administration to create supportive environments. Highlights include fluctuating power dynamics; merging diverse opinions and approaches; overcoming perceived lack of empathy; tokenism; accountability; and transforming challenges into…

Quality of the Literacy Environment in Inclusive Early Childhood Special Education Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Ying; Sawyer, Brook E.; Justice, Laura M.; Kaderavek, Joan N.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of the literacy environment in inclusive early childhood special education (ECSE) classrooms ("N" = 54). The first aim was to describe the quality of the literacy environment in terms of structure (i.e., book materials and print/writing materials) and instruction (i.e., instructional…

The quality of work life of registered nurses in Canada and the United States: a comprehensive literature review

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Workplace environment is related to the physical and psychological well-being, and quality of work life (QWL) for nurses. Objective The aim of this paper was to perform a comprehensive literature review on nurses’ quality of work life to identify a comprehensive set of QWL predictors for nurses employed in the United States and Canada. Methods Using publications from 2004–2014, contributing factors to American and Canadian nurses’ QWL were analyzed. The review was structured using the Work Disability Prevention Framework. Sixty-six articles were selected for analysis. Results Literature indicated that changes are required within the workplace and across the health care system to improve nurses' QWL. Areas for improvement to nurses’ quality of work life included treatment of new nursing graduates, opportunities for continuing education, promotion of positive collegial relationships, stress-reduction programs, and increased financial compensation. Conclusions This review’s findings support the importance of QWL as an indicator of nurses’ broader work-related experiences. A shift in health care systems across Canada and the United States is warranted where health care delivery and services are improved in conjunction with the health of the nurses working in the system. PMID:27734769

The quality of work life of registered nurses in Canada and the United States: a comprehensive literature review.

PubMed

Nowrouzi, Behdin; Giddens, Emilia; Gohar, Basem; Schoenenberger, Sandrine; Bautista, Mary Christine; Casole, Jennifer

2016-10-01

Workplace environment is related to the physical and psychological well-being, and quality of work life (QWL) for nurses. The aim of this paper was to perform a comprehensive literature review on nurses' quality of work life to identify a comprehensive set of QWL predictors for nurses employed in the United States and Canada. Using publications from 2004-2014, contributing factors to American and Canadian nurses' QWL were analyzed. The review was structured using the Work Disability Prevention Framework. Sixty-six articles were selected for analysis. Literature indicated that changes are required within the workplace and across the health care system to improve nurses' QWL. Areas for improvement to nurses' quality of work life included treatment of new nursing graduates, opportunities for continuing education, promotion of positive collegial relationships, stress-reduction programs, and increased financial compensation. This review's findings support the importance of QWL as an indicator of nurses' broader work-related experiences. A shift in health care systems across Canada and the United States is warranted where health care delivery and services are improved in conjunction with the health of the nurses working in the system.

Work and the Quality of Life: Resource Papers for Work in America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Toole, James, Ed.

A sequel to Work in America, the volume of resource papers provides additional data on issues concerning the relationships of work to health, education, and welfare. The report is a planning document which focuses on how the institution of work can be changed to improve the quality of life, to contribute to a more just society, and to strengthen…

Quality in Work-Based Studies Not Lost, Merely Undiscovered

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Paul

2009-01-01

The argument made in this paper is that good quality is subsumed into the practices of skillful participants and that institutions should act upon their consciences. This is particularly important in the complex blending of the workplace and the academy, where codified quality may disrupt learning rather than support a flourishing environment for…

Using evidence-based leadership initiatives to create a healthy nursing work environment.

PubMed

Nayback-Beebe, Ann M; Forsythe, Tanya; Funari, Tamara; Mayfield, Marie; Thoms, William; Smith, Kimberly K; Bradstreet, Harry; Scott, Pamela

2013-01-01

In an effort to create a healthy nursing work environment in a military hospital Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU), a facility-level Evidence Based Practice working group composed of nursing.Stakeholders brainstormed and piloted several unit-level evidence-based leadership initiatives to improve the IMCU nursing work environment. These initiatives were guided by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments which encompass: (1) skilled communication, (2) true collaboration, (3) effective decision making, (4) appropriate staffing, (5) meaningful recognition, and (6) authentic leadership. Interim findings suggest implementation of these six evidence-based, relationship-centered principals, when combined with IMCU nurses' clinical expertise, management experience, and personal values and preferences, improved staff morale, decreased staff absenteeism, promoted a healthy nursing work environment, and improved patient care.

75 FR 73946 - Worker Safety and Health Program: Safety Conscious Work Environment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 10 CFR Part 851 Worker Safety and Health Program: Safety Conscious Work... Nuclear Regulatory Commission's ``Safety-Conscious Work Environment'' guidelines as a model. DOE published.... Second, not only would instituting a ``Safety-Conscious Work Environment'' by regulation be redundant...

Reconsidering the Workplace: Faculty Perceptions of Their Work and Working Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuntz, Aaron M.

2012-01-01

In an effort to foreground the impact of the material environment on faculty activities, this study examines the dynamic intersections among faculty work practices, the academic workplace and professional identity. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 16 social science faculty at one public university in the United States, this study reveals the…

The Level of Quality of Work Life to Predict Work Alienation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdem, Mustafa

2014-01-01

The current research aims to determine the level of elementary school teachers' quality of work life (QWL) to predict work alienation. The study was designed using the relational survey model. The research population consisted of 1096 teachers employed at 25 elementary schools within the city of Van in the academic year 2010- 2011, and 346…

Gender, Emotion Work, and Relationship Quality: A Daily Diary Study

PubMed Central

Curran, Melissa A.; McDaniel, Brandon T.; Pollitt, Amanda M.; Totenhagen, Casey J.

2015-01-01

We use the gender relations perspective from feminist theorizing to investigate how gender and daily emotion work predict daily relationship quality in 74 couples (148 individuals in dating, cohabiting, or married relationships) primarily from the southwest U.S. Emotion work is characterized by activities that enhance others’ emotional well-being. We examined emotion work two ways: trait (individuals’ average levels) and state (individuals’ daily fluctuations). We examined actor and partner effects of emotion work and tested for gender differences. As outcome variables, we included six types of daily relationship quality: love, commitment, satisfaction, closeness, ambivalence, and conflict. This approach allowed us to predict three aspects of relationship quality: average levels, daily fluctuations, and volatility (overall daily variability across a week). Three patterns emerged. First, emotion work predicted relationship quality in this diverse set of couples. Second, gender differences were minimal for fixed effects: Trait and state emotion work predicted higher average scores on, and positive daily increases in, individuals’ own positive relationship quality and lower average ambivalence. Third, gender differences were more robust for volatility: For partner effects, having a partner who reported higher average emotion work predicted lower volatility in love, satisfaction, and closeness for women versus greater volatility in love and commitment for men. Neither gender nor emotion work predicted average levels, daily fluctuations, or volatility in conflict. We discuss implications and future directions pertaining to the unique role of gender in understanding the associations between daily emotion work and volatility in daily relationship quality for relational partners. PMID:26508808

Gender, Emotion Work, and Relationship Quality: A Daily Diary Study.

PubMed

Curran, Melissa A; McDaniel, Brandon T; Pollitt, Amanda M; Totenhagen, Casey J

2015-08-01

We use the gender relations perspective from feminist theorizing to investigate how gender and daily emotion work predict daily relationship quality in 74 couples (148 individuals in dating, cohabiting, or married relationships) primarily from the southwest U.S. Emotion work is characterized by activities that enhance others' emotional well-being. We examined emotion work two ways: trait (individuals' average levels) and state (individuals' daily fluctuations). We examined actor and partner effects of emotion work and tested for gender differences. As outcome variables, we included six types of daily relationship quality: love, commitment, satisfaction, closeness, ambivalence, and conflict. This approach allowed us to predict three aspects of relationship quality: average levels, daily fluctuations, and volatility (overall daily variability across a week). Three patterns emerged. First, emotion work predicted relationship quality in this diverse set of couples. Second, gender differences were minimal for fixed effects: Trait and state emotion work predicted higher average scores on, and positive daily increases in, individuals' own positive relationship quality and lower average ambivalence. Third, gender differences were more robust for volatility: For partner effects, having a partner who reported higher average emotion work predicted lower volatility in love, satisfaction, and closeness for women versus greater volatility in love and commitment for men. Neither gender nor emotion work predicted average levels, daily fluctuations, or volatility in conflict. We discuss implications and future directions pertaining to the unique role of gender in understanding the associations between daily emotion work and volatility in daily relationship quality for relational partners.

Far-field environment working group summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pearcy, E.C.

1995-09-01

This article is a summary of the proceedings of a group discussion which took place at the Workshop on the Role of Natural Analogs in Geologic Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste in San Antonio, Texas on July 22-25, 1991. The working group concentrated on the subject of the potential impacts of underground disposal of high-level radioactive wastes on the far-field environment.

Conceptual Models, Choices, and Benchmarks for Building Quality Work Cultures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acker-Hocevar, Michele

1996-01-01

The two models in Florida's Educational Quality Benchmark System represent a new way of thinking about developing schools' work culture. The Quality Performance System Model identifies nine dimensions of work within a quality system. The Change Process Model provides a theoretical framework for changing existing beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors…

High-dependency care: experiences of the psychosocial work environment.

PubMed

Rahman, Hanif Abdul; Naing, Lin; Abdul-Mumin, Khadizah

2017-11-23

to explore high-dependency care nurses' experiences of their psychosocial work environment. four focus groups were conducted with 23 emergency and critical care hospital nurses in Brunei. All sessions were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive-approach thematic analysis. three major themes were identified. 'Specialisation/specific skills' explained a fundamental requirement for the high-dependency care nurses to work effectively and efficiently in their workplace. 'Task completion' narrated the pressure they experienced to complete their tasks within time constraints exacerbated by a reduced number of staff. 'Acknowledgement' signified their need for fair and adequate reward for their hard work through career progression and promotion. this study facilitates the design of future interventions and policies that promote a healthy psychosocial work environment by ensuring nurses working in these areas have the required specialisation skills, there is a balance of workload and nurse-to-patient ratios, and they are offered fairness and equity in career progression and promotion.

Leading change to create a healthy and satisfying work environment.

PubMed

Sanders, Carolyn L; Krugman, Mary; Schloffman, Danielle H

2013-01-01

Nurse executives must take a leadership role in creating a healthy work environment for nurses and all disciplines. Engaging in partnerships and empowering clinical nurses to construct the solutions to barriers that may stand in the way of the goal of a satisfied and healthy workforce are important strategies toward success. This publication outlines many projects a 3-time Magnet-designated academic hospital has implemented, working with our shared leadership councils, to meet the standards for a healthy work environment. These initiatives, from the unit to the hospital level, included standardizing a culture change of uninterrupted meal breaks, the creation of intensive care unit Zen rooms, strategies to better manage increased patient volumes, best practices for facility design, enhancing physician-nurse relations, and a hospital wellness program. Data were benchmarked against national nurse and employee surveys to compare progress and report outcomes. Two important nursing organization structures that have contributed to the success of a healthy and satisfied nursing work environment include UEXCEL, a longstanding clinical nurse professional practice program, and the hospital's 11-year participation in the University HealthSystem Consortium/American Association of Colleges of Nursing National Post-Baccalaureate Nurse Residency Program. A highly engaged, well-educated, and committed nursing workforce, nurtured by a strong leadership team, has created a positive work environment characterized by low turnover and high retention.

Day Care for Persons with Dementia: The Impact of the Physical Environment on Staff Stress and Quality of Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyman, Karen A.

1989-01-01

Considered impact of physical environment on work-related stress and quality of care in day care center integrating demented people and other frail elderly. Examined positive and negative differences before and after move to new facility. Discusses implications for facility design and other program characteristics. (Author/CM)

The impact of work environment on mood disorders and suicide: Evidence and implications

PubMed Central

Woo, Jong-Min; Postolache, Teodor T

2008-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence estimating an impact of occupational factors on mood disorders and suicide, and the efficacy of interventions. This review is based on literature searches using Medline and Psych INFO from 1966 to 2007 (keywords: work stress, job insecurity, job strain, shift work, violence, occupational health, mood disorders, depression, and suicide). To establish the relationship between occupational variables and mood disorders, we focused on clinically significant disorders rather than depressive symptoms. During the last decade, prospective epidemiological studies have suggested a predictive association between the work environment and mood disorders. Recently, increasing numbers of clinical trials have shown favorable effect size of intervention and suggested preferable return-on-investment results. However, low awareness and social stigma still decrease workers access to treatment. Mental health professionals in conjunction with employers have to devise a creative system to make the quality care being offered more accessible to employees. In addition, further outcome data is needed to evaluate the benefit of managing mood disorders in the workplace, and to foster awareness of positive implications for employees, employers, their families, and the society at large. In addition, the work environment, with its chemical (e.g. chemosensory factors, pollutants), physical (e.g. lighting, noise, temperature, outdoor views and activities), biological (e.g., chronobiological factors, allergens, infectious agents), psychological (e.g. demand-control, effort-reward balance), social (e.g. cohesiveness, support), and organizational (e.g. leadership styles) component should meet minimal standards, and may improve with striving towards the optimum. PMID:18836547

The impact of work environment on mood disorders and suicide: Evidence and implications.

PubMed

Woo, Jong-Min; Postolache, Teodor T

2008-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence estimating an impact of occupational factors on mood disorders and suicide, and the efficacy of interventions. This review is based on literature searches using Medline and Psych INFO from 1966 to 2007 (keywords: work stress, job insecurity, job strain, shift work, violence, occupational health, mood disorders, depression, and suicide). To establish the relationship between occupational variables and mood disorders, we focused on clinically significant disorders rather than depressive symptoms. During the last decade, prospective epidemiological studies have suggested a predictive association between the work environment and mood disorders. Recently, increasing numbers of clinical trials have shown favorable effect size of intervention and suggested preferable return-on-investment results. However, low awareness and social stigma still decrease workers access to treatment. Mental health professionals in conjunction with employers have to devise a creative system to make the quality care being offered more accessible to employees. In addition, further outcome data is needed to evaluate the benefit of managing mood disorders in the workplace, and to foster awareness of positive implications for employees, employers, their families, and the society at large. In addition, the work environment, with its chemical (e.g. chemosensory factors, pollutants), physical (e.g. lighting, noise, temperature, outdoor views and activities), biological (e.g., chronobiological factors, allergens, infectious agents), psychological (e.g. demand-control, effort-reward balance), social (e.g. cohesiveness, support), and organizational (e.g. leadership styles) component should meet minimal standards, and may improve with striving towards the optimum.

The Quality of Work: A People-Centred Agenda.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Graham S.

This book examines trends and problems in Canadian workplaces and advocates a people-centered agenda for improving the quality of working life. Chapters 1-9 discuss the following topics: the future of work; the crisis in work; what Canadians want from work; the "new economy"; education, skills, and the knowledge economy; youth and work;…

LANL Safety Conscious Work Environment (SCWE) Self-Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hargis, Barbara C.

2014-01-29

On December 21, 2012 Secretary of Energy Chu transmitted to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) revised commitments on the implementation plan for Safety Culture at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. Action 2-5 was revised to require contractors and federal organizations to complete Safety Conscious Work Environment (SCWE) selfassessments and provide reports to the appropriate U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - Headquarters Program Office by September 2013. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) planned and conducted a Safety Conscious Work Environment (SCWE) Self-Assessment over the time period July through August, 2013 in accordance with the SCWE Self-Assessment Guidance providedmore » by DOE. Significant field work was conducted over the 2-week period August 5-16, 2013. The purpose of the self-assessment was to evaluate whether programs and processes associated with a SCWE are in place and whether they are effective in supporting and promoting a SCWE.« less

Light, Colour & Air Quality: Important Elements of the Learning Environment?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hathaway, Warren E.

1987-01-01

Reviews and evaluates studies of the effects of light, color, and air quality on the learning environment. Concludes that studies suggest a role for light in establishing and maintaining physiological functions and balances and a need for improved air quality in airtight, energy efficient buildings. (JHZ)

The N2N instrument to evaluate healthy work environments: an Italian validation.

PubMed

Palese, Alvisa; Dante, Angelo; Tonzar, Laura; Balboni, Bernardo

2014-02-01

The aims of the study were to (a) validate N2N Healthy Work Environment tool, (b) assess the healthiness of work environments as perceived by nurses themselves and (c) identify the factors associated with Italian nurses' perception of work environment healthiness. The linguistic and cultural adaptation of USA-N2N Healthy Work Environments was achieved through a process of forward/backward translation. Content validity was assessed by three expert nurses. The stability of the instrument was checked with a test/retest evaluation. The instrument psychometric properties, the confirmatory factor analysis as well the healthiness of the work environment and its determinant factors were evaluated with a sample of 294 nurses. The content and face validity of the N2N Healthy Work Environment instrument was confirmed. The instrument demonstrated good internal consistency (α of 0.82), excellent stability values (ρ > 0.70) and high levels of acceptability (response rate: 96.4 %). The confirmatory factor analysis has corroborated the existence of two factors as documented in the original instrument (Mays et al. in J Nurs Manag 19:18-26, 2011). Eighty-seven (29.6 %) nurses perceived the work environment where they work as "healthy". Working under a functional model of care delivery (χ(2) 24.856, p 0.000) and being responsible for one project or more (χ(2) 5.256, p 0.021) were associated with healthy environments. The instrument--valid and reliable, short in the number of items, easy to understand and based on international standards--allows a systematic assessment of the healthiness of the environment and might provide not only the opportunity to evaluate the effects of new organizational models and interventions, but also the possibility to activate a process of self-analysis and a process of ongoing review. The instrument can be used to systematically check the healthiness of Italian working environments, allowing for organizational diagnosis, targeted interventions and

Quality of nurses' work life: strategies for enhancement.

PubMed

Davis, B; Thorburn, B

1999-01-01

The radical transformation resulting from health care reform, with its emphasis on restructuring, reorganizing and downsizing, has impacted on the nursing profession and has profoundly effected the quality of nurses' work life. The Health Care Corporation of St. John's experienced the stress associated with change when it simultaneously merged eight health care sites and introduced a programmed-based management structure. This article reviews the strategies developed in response to this transition by the Nurses' Quality of Worklife Team, to help reduce stress and enhance the quality of nurses' work life. In particular, it highlights the development and implementation of a professional support network called the Nursing Peer Support Program.

Workplace gender composition and psychological distress: the importance of the psychosocial work environment.

PubMed

Elwér, Sofia; Johansson, Klara; Hammarström, Anne

2014-03-10

Health consequences of the gender segregated labour market have previously been demonstrated in the light of gender composition of occupations and workplaces, with somewhat mixed results. Associations between the gender composition and health status have been suggested to be shaped by the psychosocial work environment. The present study aims to analyse how workplace gender composition is related to psychological distress and to explore the importance of the psychosocial work environment for psychological distress at workplaces with different gender compositions. The study population consisted of participants from the Northern Swedish Cohort with a registered workplace in 2007 when the participants were 42 years old (N=795). Questionnaire data were supplemented with register data on the gender composition of the participants' workplaces divided into three groups: workplaces with more women, mixed workplaces, and workplaces with more men. Associations between psychological distress and gender composition were analysed with multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for socioeconomic position, previous psychological distress, psychosocial work environment factors and gender. Logistic regression analyses (including interaction terms for gender composition and each work environment factor) were also used to assess differential associations between psychosocial work factor and psychological distress according to gender composition. Working at workplaces with a mixed gender composition was related to a higher likelihood of psychological distress compared to workplaces with more men, after adjustments for socioeconomic position, psychological distress at age 21, psychosocial work environment factors and gender. Psychosocial work environment factors did not explain the association between gender composition and psychological distress. The association between gender composition and psychological distress cannot be explained by differences in the perception of the

The relationship between healthy work environments and retention of nurses in a hospital setting.

PubMed

Ritter, Desiree

2011-01-01

The purpose of the present paper was to determine the effect a healthy work environment has on the retention of nurses in a hospital setting. There is a nursing shortage that has been ongoing and is expected to continue, resulting in challenges for the healthcare system in the United States. The significance of this issue is the impact the nursing shortage will have on healthcare organizations and patients. The present paper included an extensive review of the current literature. The literature reviewed encompassed scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles. This article focused on nurses, work environments and the impact of the work environments on retention. Important issues that emerged from this analysis were the dangers of an unhealthy environment, the impact a healthy work environment has on patient outcomes and retention, the Magnet link to healthy work environments and the manager's role in creating and sustaining a healthy work environment. The literature provided evidence of the link between healthy work environments and the retention of nurses in a hospital setting. The implications for management are to implement changes now to create a healthy work environment that will recruit and retain nurses to secure their position in the future. © 2010 The Author. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Occupation, work environment, and disability pension: a prospective study of construction workers.

PubMed

Stattin, Mikael; Järvholm, Bengt

2005-01-01

This study investigated the importance of occupation and work environment for the risk of disability pension among construction workers in Sweden. The data include around 389,000 construction workers who participated in health examinations from 1971 to 1992. During that period 68,000 participants received disability pension in some form. Between 1985 and 1992 questionnaires were used to collect data regarding hazards in the work environment. Some 87,000 participants answered that questionnaire, and almost 6,000 of these were in receipt of a disability pension. To analyse the risk of disability pension in different occupations, incidence rates (SIR) were calculated according to the person-year method. Logistic regression was used to calculate age-controlled odds ratios according to physical and psychosocial work environment factors. The results show considerable variation in risk for disability pension between different occupations within the construction industry. Furthermore, analysis of work environment factors indicated associations with physical, ergonomic, and psychosocial work environment factors. A considerable variation between occupations indicates that characteristics in the work situation are important when explaining the risk of disability pension. The results from this study indicate that improvements in working conditions are an important area of intervention in order to facilitate and prolong labour market participation among elderly people.

Ride quality criteria. [transportation system interior and passenger response to environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, D. G.

1977-01-01

Ride quality refers to the interior or passenger environment of a transportation system as well as the passenger response to the environment. Ride quality factors are illustrated with the aid of a diagram presenting inputs to vehicle, the vehicle transfer function, the ride environment, the passenger response function, and the passenger ride response. The reported investigation considers the ride environment as measured on a variety of air and surface vehicles, the passenger response to the environment as determined from laboratory and field surveys, and criteria/standards for vibration, noise, and combined stimuli. Attention is given to the vertical vibration characteristics in cruise for aircraft and automobile, the aircraft vibration levels for various operating regimes, comparative noise levels during cruise, the discomfort level for a 9 Hz sinusoidal vibration, equal discomfort contours for vertical vibration, subjective response to noise in a speech situation, and noise and vibration levels for constant discomfort contours.

The Quality of Home Environment in Brazil: An Ecological Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Oliveira, Ebenezer A.; Barros, Fernando C.; Anselmi, Luciana D. da Silva; Piccinini, Cesar A.

2006-01-01

Based on Bronfenbrenner's (1999) ecological perspective, a longitudinal, prospective model of individual differences in the quality of home environment (Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment--HOME) was tested in a sample of 179 Brazilian children and their families. Perinatal measures of family socioeconomic status (SES) and child…

Inpatients' and outpatients' satisfaction: the mediating role of perceived quality of physical and social environment.

PubMed

Campos Andrade, Cláudia; Lima, Maria Luísa; Pereira, Cícero Roberto; Fornara, Ferdinando; Bonaiuto, Marino

2013-05-01

This study analyses the processes through which the physical environment of health care settings impacts on patients' well-being. Specifically, we investigate the mediating role of perceptions of the physical and social environments, and if this process is moderated by patients' status, that is, if the objective physical environment impacts inpatients' and outpatients' satisfaction by different social-psychological processes. Patients (N=206) evaluated the physical and social environments of the care unit where they were receiving treatment, and its objective physical conditions were independently evaluated by two architects. Results showed that the objective environmental quality affects satisfaction through perceptions of environmental quality, and that patients' status moderates this relationship. For inpatients, it is the perception of quality of the social environment that mediates the relationship between objective environmental quality and satisfaction, whereas for outpatients it is the perception of quality of the physical environment. This moderated mediation is discussed in terms of differences on patients' experiences of health care environments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical Work Environment as a Managerial Tool for Decreasing Job-Related Anxiety and Improving Employee-Employer Relations.

PubMed

Sadatsafavi, Hessam; Walewski, John; Shepley, Mardelle

2015-01-01

The expected increase in healthcare needs resulting from the Affordable Care Act and the growing population of older citizens in the United States is challenging owners and operators of hospitals to improve quality of care and reduce operational costs. Meanwhile, studies have indicated a serious shortage in the healthcare workforce and have highlighted the critical role of employees' job-related attitudes and feelings. The main objective of this study was to test whether employees' evaluations of important environments within hospitals were significantly associated with their job-related attitudes and feelings, and whether this relationship varied across different demographic groups. About 700 healthcare professionals from 10 acute-care hospitals run by three healthcare organizations participated in this cross-sectional study. Structural equation modeling found that employees' evaluations of their physical work environment were significantly associated with lower rates of job-related anxiety, higher levels of job satisfaction, and increased rates of organizational commitment. Perceived organizational support was responsible for mediating part of these relationships, indicating that employees can perceive a healthy work environment as a sign of their organization valuing them and caring about their well-being. When distinguishing between different spaces, analysis found that satisfaction with rest areas and work spaces had the largest effect size, while the influence of patient areas was small. Employees newer to the facility and to the organization were more influenced by the physical work environment. This study provides preliminary evidence that facility design can be used as a managerial tool for improving employees' job-related attitudes and feelings and earning their commitment.

Near-field environment/processes working group summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murphy, W.M.

1995-09-01

This article is a summary of the proceedings of a group discussion which took place at the Workshop on the Role of Natural Analogs in Geologic Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste in San Antonio, Texas on July 22-25, 1991. The working group concentrated on the subject of the near-field environment to geologic repositories for high-level nuclear waste. The near-field environment may be affected by thermal perturbations from the waste, and by disturbances caused by the introduction of exotic materials during construction of the repository. This group also discussed the application of modelling of performance-related processes.

Associations between characteristics of the nurse work environment and five nurse-sensitive patient outcomes in hospitals: a systematic review of literature.

PubMed

Stalpers, Dewi; de Brouwer, Brigitte J M; Kaljouw, Marian J; Schuurmans, Marieke J

2015-04-01

To systematically review the literature on relationships between characteristics of the nurse work environment and five nurse-sensitive patient outcomes in hospitals. The search was performed in Medline (PubMed), Cochrane, Embase, and CINAHL. Included were quantitative studies published from 2004 to 2012 that examined associations between work environment and the following patient outcomes: delirium, malnutrition, pain, patient falls and pressure ulcers. The Dutch version of Cochrane's critical appraisal instrument was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Of the initial 1120 studies, 29 were included in the review. Nurse staffing was inversely related to patient falls; more favorable staffing hours were associated with fewer fall incidents. Mixed results were shown for nurse staffing in relation to pressure ulcers. Characteristics of work environment other than nurse staffing that showed significant effects were: (i) collaborative relationships; positively perceived communication between nurses and physicians was associated with fewer patient falls and lower rates of pressure ulcers, (ii) nurse education; higher levels of education were related to fewer patient falls and (iii) nursing experience; lower levels of experience were related to more patient falls and higher rates of pressure ulcers. No eligible studies were found regarding delirium and malnutrition, and only one study found that favorable staffing was related to better pain management. Our findings show that there is evidence on associations between work environment and nurse-sensitive patient outcomes. However, the results are equivocal and studies often do not provide clear conclusions. A quantitative meta-analysis was not feasible due to methodological issues in the primary studies (for example, poorly described samples). The diversity in outcome measures and the majority of cross-sectional designs make quantitative analysis even more difficult. In the future, well

Measuring production loss due to health and work environment problems: construct validity and implications.

PubMed

Karlsson, Malin Lohela; Bergström, Gunnar; Björklund, Christina; Hagberg, Jan; Jensen, Irene

2013-12-01

The aim was to validate two measures of production loss, health-related and work environment-related production loss, concerning their associations with health status and work environment factors. Validity was assessed by evaluating the construct validity. Health problems related and work environment-related problems (or factors) were included in separate analyses and evaluated regarding the significant difference in proportion of explained variation (R) of production loss. health problems production loss was not found to fulfill the criteria for convergent validity in this study; however, the measure of work environment-related production loss did fulfill the criteria that were set up. The measure of work environment-related production loss can be used to screen for production loss due to work environment problems as well as an outcome measure when evaluating the effect of organizational interventions.

Examining Middle School Students' Statistical Thinking While Working in a Technological Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scranton, Melissa Arnold

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how students think in a technological environment. This was accomplished by exploring the differences in the thinking of students while they worked in a technological environment and comparing this to their work in a paper and pencil environment. The software program TinkerPlots:…

The home environment: A mediator of nutrition knowledge and diet quality in adolescents.

PubMed

Tabbakh, Tamara; Freeland-Graves, Jean H

2016-10-01

The objective of this research was to assess adherence to the Healthy Eating Index-2010 of mothers and their adolescents (11-14 years old) and to examine the role of the home environment as a mediator of maternal nutrition knowledge and adolescent diet quality. It is hypothesized that mothers with greater knowledge impact the diet quality of their adolescents by creation of healthier home environments. A sample of 206 mother-adolescent dyads separately completed the Multidimensional Home Environment Scale, a Food Frequency Questionnaire, and a Nutrition Knowledge Scale. Body mass index-for-age percentiles were derived from weight and height measurements obtained by researcher; diet quality was estimated via the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010. Percent of maximum score on nutrition knowledge for both mothers and adolescents were poor, with lowest scores on recommendations of healthy eating and physical activity (48% and 19%, respectively). A model of maternal nutrition knowledge (independent variable) and adolescent diet quality (dependent variable) indicated that greater knowledge was associated with higher scores on total fruit (p = 0.02), whole grains (p = 0.05), seafood and plant proteins (p = 0.01), and overall diet quality (p < 0.01), as well as lower scores on empty calories (p = 0.01). Inclusion of the home environment as a mediator yielded significant estimates of the indirect effect (β = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.3-1.0). Within the home environment, psychological (β = 0.46), social (β = 0.23), and environmental (β = 0.65) variables were all significant mediators of nutrition knowledge on diet quality. These results emphasize the importance of maternal nutrition knowledge and the mediating effect of the home environment on the diet quality of adolescents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teachers' Perceptions of Their Work Environment in Swedish Junior High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allodi, Mara Westling; Fischbein, Siv

2012-01-01

The aims of this study were to explore the organisational characteristics of junior high schools, to identify typologies of work environments and to explore the relationships between the type of work environment and how schools function. The educational profession and the role of teachers have been influenced by policies inspired by the principles…

Human voice quality measurement in noisy environments.

PubMed

Ueng, Shyh-Kuang; Luo, Cheng-Ming; Tsai, Tsung-Yu; Yeh, Hsuan-Chen

2015-01-01

Computerized acoustic voice measurement is essential for the diagnosis of vocal pathologies. Previous studies showed that ambient noises have significant influences on the accuracy of voice quality assessment. This paper presents a voice quality assessment system that can accurately measure qualities of voice signals, even though the input voice data are contaminated by low-frequency noises. The ambient noises in our living rooms and laboratories are collected and the frequencies of these noises are analyzed. Based on the analysis, a filter is designed to reduce noise level of the input voice signal. Then, improved numerical algorithms are employed to extract voice parameters from the voice signal to reveal the health of the voice signal. Compared with MDVP and Praat, the proposed method outperforms these two widely used programs in measuring fundamental frequency and harmonic-to-noise ratio, and its performance is comparable to these two famous programs in computing jitter and shimmer. The proposed voice quality assessment method is resistant to low-frequency noises and it can measure human voice quality in environments filled with noises from air-conditioners, ceiling fans and cooling fans of computers.

Radiation therapists' and radiation oncology medical physicists' perceptions of work and the working environment in Australia: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Halkett, G K B; McKay, J; Hegney, D G; Breen, Lauren J; Berg, M; Ebert, M A; Davis, M; Kearvell, R

2017-09-01

Workforce recruitment and retention are issues in radiation oncology. The working environment is likely to have an impact on retention; however, there is a lack of research in this area. The objectives of this study were to: investigate radiation therapists' (RTs) and radiation oncology medical physicists' (ROMPs) perceptions of work and the working environment; and determine the factors that influence the ability of RTs and ROMPs to undertake their work and how these factors affect recruitment and retention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and thematic analysis was used. Twenty-eight RTs and 21 ROMPs participated. The overarching themes were delivering care, support in work, working conditions and lifestyle. The overarching themes were mostly consistent across both groups; however, the exemplars reflected the different roles and perspectives of RTs and ROMPs. Participants described the importance they placed on treating patients and improving their lives. Working conditions were sometimes difficult with participants reporting pressure at work, large workloads and longer hours and overtime. Insufficient staff numbers impacted on the effectiveness of staff, the working environment and intentions to stay. Staff satisfaction is likely to be improved if changes are made to the working environment. We make recommendations that may assist departments to support RTs and ROMPs. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Work-Life Balance in an Outsourcing Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiltshire, Dervent

2013-01-01

Empirical evidence has found an increase in work-life conflicts within outsourced environments. It is important to address the increase in conflict to reduce negative effects on businesses. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of the spillover, conflict management, and resource dependency theories, the purpose of the study was to examine how…

The Quality of Work and Youth Mental Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mortimer, Jeylan T.; Harley, Carolyn; Staff, Jeremy

2002-01-01

Data from the Youth Development Study on adolescents who worked in high school were used to examine mental health, work stress, and work/school interactions. The quality of high school work experiences had significant consequences for mental states during high school, but had little effect on long-term mental health. (Contains 70 references.) (SK)

Investigation of the Relationship between Work Ability and Work-related Quality of Life in Nurses.

PubMed

Abbasi, Milad; Zakerian, Abolfazl; Akbarzade, Arash; Dinarvand, Nader; Ghaljahi, Maryam; Poursadeghiyan, Mohsen; Ebrahimi, Mohammad Hossein

2017-10-01

Work ability of nurses is an index of their job satisfaction and is a crucial factor in job quality and security. This study aimed to investigate the association between work ability and quality of working life and to determine the effective demographic and background variables, among nurses. The present study was conducted among nurses, working in educational hospitals under the supervision of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2014. Work Ability Index (WAI) and Work-related Quality of Life (WRQoL) were used. The mean WAI was significantly associated with total WRQoL score and the two of its sub-items including Stress at Work, and General Well-Being ( P -value=0.001). Moreover, the results showed a significant correlation between total WRQoL and WAI Subscales including mental resources ( P -value=0.001), number of current diseases ( P- value=0.02), and work ability in relation to the job demands ( P -value=0.04). The WRQoL and WAI showed significant associations with age and job experience ( P -value=0.001). The average score of WAI and WRQoL was statistically different among various working units ( P -value=0.001). Overall, results support the association between nurses work ability and WRQoL. Monitoring the WRQoL and work ability of employees would help organizations to know their status and take measures to ameliorate the working conditions.

Stabilizing and destabilizing forces in the nursing work environment: a qualitative study on turnover intention.

PubMed

Choi, Sandy Pin-Pin; Pang, Samantha Mei-Che; Cheung, Kin; Wong, Thomas Kwok-Shing

2011-10-01

The nursing work environment, which provides the context of care delivery, has been gaining increasing attention in recent years. A growing body of evidence points to an inseparable link between attributes of the nursing work environment and nurse and patient outcomes. While most studies have adopted a survey design to examine the workforce and work environment issues, this study employed a phenomenological approach to provide empirical evidence regarding nurses' perceptions of their work and work environment. The aim of this study was to advance our understanding of the phenomenon of increasing nurse turnover through exploring frontline registered nurses' lived experiences of working in Hong Kong public hospitals. A modified version of Van Kaam's controlled explication method was adopted. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 frontline nurses recruited from ten acute regional, district and non-acute public hospitals in Hong Kong. Their perspectives in regard to their work and work environment, such as workload, manpower demand and professional values, were extensively examined, and a hypothetical description relating the nursing work environment with nurses' turnover intention was posited. Contemplation of nurses' experiences revealed the vulnerable aspects of nursing work and six essential constituents of the nursing work environment, namely staffing level, work responsibility, management, co-worker relationships, job, and professional incentives. These essential constituents have contributed to two sets of forces, stabilizing and destabilizing forces, which originate from the attributes of the nursing work environment. Nurses viewed harmonious co-worker relationships, recognition and professional development as the crucial retaining factors. However, nurses working in an unfavorable environment were overwhelmed by destabilizing forces; they expressed frustration and demonstrated an intention to leave their work environment. The nursing