Predictors and outcomes of work-family conflict among nurses.

BACKGROUND: Work-family conflict, an issue important to nursing management, has been examined extensively worldwide. With an increasing number of nurses leaving and intending to leave the country, and considering the traditional family arrangement, it is increasingly relevant to examine the precursors and outcomes of work-family conflict among Filipino nurses. AIM: To identify the predictors of work-family conflict and its relationship to Filipino nurses' work outcomes and perceived quality of care. METHODS: A descriptive research design was utilized to collect data from one thousand one hundred (n = 1010) registered nurses with more than three months of experience working in the hospital using the Work-Family Conflict Scale, Job Satisfaction Index, Perceived Stress Scale, the two single-item measures of turnover intention, and a single-item measure of care quality. RESULTS: Filipino nurses experience moderate levels of work-family conflict. Nurses' age, education, facility size, and hospital location predicted work-family conflict. Work-family predicted job satisfaction, job stress, intention to leave the organization, and perceived quality of care. CONCLUSIONS: In accordance with international studies, Filipino nurses experience significant levels of work-family conflict. Addressing work-family conflict may result in improved work outcomes and increased care quality rating. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE AND POLICY: Organizational measures to address work-family conflict in nurses should take into account the different predictors identified, particularly those that are modifiable. Nurses' work outcomes and care quality can be improved by employing empirically based measures to effectively address work-family conflict.

Disaster preparedness among nurses: a systematic review of literature.

AIM: This review explored peer-reviewed publications that measure nurses' preparedness for disaster response. BACKGROUND: The increasing frequency of disasters worldwide necessitates nurses to adequately prepare to respond to disasters to mitigate the negative consequences of the event on the affected population. Despite growing initiatives to prepare nurses for any disasters, evidence suggests they are under prepared for disaster response. METHODS: This is a systematic review of scientific articles conducted from 2006 to 2016 on nurses' preparedness for disasters. SCOPUS, MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL and PsychINFO were the primary databases utilized for search of literature. Keywords used in this review were as follows: 'emergency', 'disaster', 'disaster preparedness', 'disaster competencies', 'disaster nursing', 'disaster role' and 'nurse'. Seventeen (17) articles were selected for this review. FINDINGS: Factors that increase preparedness for disaster response include previous disaster response experience and disaster-related training. However, it is widely reported that nurses are insufficiently prepared and do not feel confident responding effectively to disasters. CONCLUSION: The findings of this review contribute to a growing body of knowledge regarding disaster preparedness in nurses and have implications for academia, hospital administration and nursing educators. The findings of this review provide evidence that could be used by nurse educators and nurse administrators to better prepare nurses for disaster response. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: The findings from this review place an emphasis on hospitals to implement policies to address lack of preparedness among their employees. Furthermore, this review highlights the benefit of further research and provision of well-grounded disaster exercises that mimic actual events to enhance the preparedness of the nursing workforce.

An integrative review on coping skills in nursing students: implications for policymaking.

AIM: This study critically appraised both quantitative and qualitative studies describing coping strategies utilized by nursing students when faced with stress. BACKGROUND: Stress in nursing students during clinical training is well documented in the nursing literature. The need to utilize positive-coping strategies is necessary to effectively deal with stress and its accompanying stressors. METHODS: An integrative review method was used in this review. PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), MEDLINE and Scopus were the databases used in searching for relevant literature using the following search terms; 'coping', 'nursing students', clinical training', 'ways of coping' and 'clinical practice'. A total of 27 studies published from 2001 to 2016 were included in this review. FINDINGS: Findings demonstrated that nursing students utilized problem-focused coping strategies rather than emotion-focused coping strategies. Specific coping behaviours utilized included problem-solving behaviours, self-confident approaches and seeking of support from family and friends. CONCLUSION: The review contributes to the growing literature on coping strategies in nursing students and may have implications on nursing education and nursing policy. This review also demonstrated a scarcity of studies that links specific coping strategies to nursing school stressors and examines predictors of coping skills in nursing students. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING EDUCATION: Institutionalization of structured student orientation programme, implementation of well-planned mentoring programmes and establishment of support unit/centres may be helpful in supporting nursing students during their clinical placement. By developing empirically based interventions, nursing faculty can assist nursing students in strengthening their positive-coping skills to effectively deal with various stressors encountered.