[Demands, resources, and work engagement of lower and middle level nurse managers: a cross-sectional study]. / Anforderungen, Ressourcen und Arbeitsengagement von Pflegemanager_innen der unteren und mittleren Ebene.

Demands, resources, and work engagement of lower and middle level nurse managers: a cross-sectional study Abstract. Background: Given their responsibilities, lower- and middle-level nurse managers hold a key role in the health care system. Their performance and health are affected by their work engagement, which according to the Job-Demands-Resources-Model depends on job-related demands and resources. To date, there is a lack of studies on the demands, resources, and work engagement of nurse managers in Germany. Objective: First, the study aimed to describe the job demands and resources as well as the work engagement of lower and mid-level nurse managers in hospitals and geriatric care facilities in Germany. Second, the aim was to explore potential differences in these areas between different groups, particularly regarding gender, age, and management level. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design. Data were collected by an online survey. N = 408 cases could be evaluated. Results: Work overload is the most prominent demand, followed by emotional demands. In terms of resources, nurse managers can primarily draw on positive social relationships. The available professional resources are rated critically. Work engagement is moderate. Conclusions: The study indicates a clear need for action regarding an improvement in work engagement. In particular, work overload and professional resources need to be addressed by appropriate systemwide and organization-related measures.

Antecedents of Nurse Managers' Work Engagement: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The responsibilities of nurse managers are complex. Their actions are crucial to providing the best possible care to patients and to the success of health care organizations. Thus, nurse managers' work engagement is essential. However, understanding of the antecedents of nurse managers' work engagement is lacking. The job demands-resources theory posits that work engagement is contingent upon job resources and demands. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore which job demands and resources exert a major influence on nurse managers' work engagement. Considering the literature, job resources and demands potentially relevant to nurse managers' work engagement were identified. To investigate the associations between these potential antecedents and nurse managers' work engagement, the study employed a cross-sectional survey. The dataset for analyses comprised 408 nurse managers in Germany and was analyzed by multiple linear regression. The study variables accounted for 26% of the variance in nurse managers' work engagement. Positive associations were detected between the job resource of empowering leadership and nurse managers' work engagement. Regarding job demands, lack of formal rewards and work-life interferences had negative effects on work engagement. The findings suggest that the job demands-resources theory can explain nurse managers' work engagement. However, not all job resources and demands considered were determined to be influential. In conclusion, empowering leadership should be promoted in the work environment of nurse managers. Nurse managers should be provided engaging financial and nonfinancial rewards. Work-life interferences should be systematically mitigated.

The relationship between leader-member exchange and work engagement in social work: A mediation analysis of job resources.

INTRODUCTION: The working environment of social workers has become an important concern in research. Whereas studies typically focus on negative aspects of these environments, this study investigates the possibility of creating a positive environment by examining whether and how high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships are related to social workers' work engagement. It is hypothesized that particularly relevant job resources mediate the relation between LMX and social workers' work engagement. METHOD: To identify those job resources that are particularly important to social workers, a qualitative preparatory study was first conducted with social workers and social work executives. Based on that, study data were collected by administering an online survey among social workers. Both parts of the study were realized at twenty different advice centers for pregnancy issues of a leading social organization in Germany. The dataset for statistical analyses comprised 43 social workers in total. Regression analysis with parallel mediation was used to test the hypothesized relationships. RESULTS: Social workers in high-quality LMX relationships operate in working environments with more abundant social and structural job resources: they experience the team atmosphere more positively and have greater work control. Further, it was found that experiencing a positive team atmosphere was associated with higher work engagement, with team atmosphere fully mediating the relationship between LMX and work engagement. Notably, high-quality LMX relationships do not seem to promote work engagement directly. DISCUSSION: The study underscores the relevance of high-quality LMX relationships in fostering a resourceful work environment. This, in turn, contributes significantly to a high level of work engagement. Organizations and managers in social work should therefore strengthen managerial relationships and create resourceful environments.

Anforderungen, Ressourcen und Arbeitsengagement Pflegender während der zweiten Welle der COVID-19-Pandemie.

Demands, resources, and work engagement of nurses during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic - A cross-sectional study Abstract. Background: Nurses are assigned a key role in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Of particular importance is their work engagement, depending on job demands and resources. So far, there have only been scattered and first-wave related indications of nurses' job demands, resources and work engagement in Germany during the pandemic. Aim: To systematically assess key job demands, key job resources and work engagement of nursing staff for the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, also differentiating between various groups of nurses. Method: The study was realized in a cross-sectional design and included nurses in direct health care settings in Germany. Data was collected with an online questionnaire using valid and reliable measures during the second wave of the pandemic. The dataset for analyses comprised 1027 cases in total. Results: Regarding demands, work overload was even higher than before the pandemic, but work-life interferences were less pronounced. Nurses' resource architecture was not fundamentally changed by the pandemic, but interpersonal relationships and autonomy were rated more positively. Domiciliary care workers assessed demands and resources more positively than nurses in nursing homes or hospitals, whereas nurses caring for COVID-19 patients evaluated demands and resources more critically. Nurses' work engagement was higher during the second pandemic wave than in the first wave, but still low overall. Conclusions: Due to the importance of work engagement for nurses' health and performance and thus the quality of care, demands and resources must be further improved. Starting points are, e. g., fostering team cohesion, strengthening autonomy, and managing workload.

[How are key resources and key demands associated with nurses' work engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic? A cross-sectional study]. / Wie sind Schlüsselressourcen und -anforderungen mit dem Arbeitsengagement Pflegender während der COVID-19-Pandemie assoziiert? Eine Querschnittstudie.

INTRODUCTION: Nurses are assigned a key role in pandemic response, with work engagement considered to be pivotal. The job demands-resources theory assumes that work engagement depends on job resources and job demands. Key job resources and demands have already been proposed for nurses. However, there is no evidence on their importance under pandemic conditions. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate their relevance to nurses' work engagement during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The study was carried out in a cross-sectional design and addressed nurses in direct health care settings in Germany. Data was collected administering a quantitative online survey using valid and reliable measures during the second wave of the pandemic. A convenience sample was obtained, including the use of social media, randomly selected health care facilities, and all universities with nursing-related programs in Germany. The dataset for analyses comprised a total of 1,027 cases. The sample included nurses of various educational levels and from different sectors. Multiple linear regression analysis after multiple imputation was used to examine the relevance of key resources and demands for work engagement. RESULTS: Key resources and demands explained 36% of the variance in nurses' work engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Positive associations were found between the key resources of autonomy (߯SP=0.072, 95% CI [0.011; 0.133]), professional resources (߯SP=0.204, 95% CI [0.124; 0.285]), and interpersonal relationships (߯SP=0.178, 95% CI [0.117; 0.240]) and nurses' work engagement. On the demands side, lack of formal rewards negatively (߯SP=-0.312, 95% CI [-0.380; -0.245]) affected work engagement, whereas work overload (߯SP=0.063, 95% CI [0.001; 0.126]) was positively associated with work engagement. DISCUSSION: The job demands-resources theory is suitable for explaining nurses' work engagement even in times of crisis. Taken together, key resources and demands have a significant influence on nurses' work engagement under pandemic conditions. However, not all so-called key resources and demands actually have a key status in a pandemic. CONCLUSION: Any lack of formal rewards should be countered, professional resources should be sustainably secured, and the autonomy of nurses and their interpersonal relationships should be strengthened. Nursing management decisions should be made not only with the current pandemic but also the post-pandemic period in mind.

Psychological Stress among Students in Health-Related Fields during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study at Selected Munich Universities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging period of upheaval for higher education students. This study aims to assess the factors associated with psychological stress during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of students in health-related fields at Munich universities in Germany. Students (n = 623) from KSH Munich and LMU Munich completed an online cross-sectional survey. Information on demographics and academic and everyday difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as data on physical and mental health were collected. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the outcome. The prevalence for higher psychological stress was 44% among the study population. Factors associated with higher psychological stress were: lower overall life satisfaction (p < 0.0001), worsened health situation (p < 0.0001), lack of social support (p = 0.0301) and social interaction (p = 0.0115), worries about financial difficulties due to loss of income (p = 0.0134), stressful thoughts about a second wave (p < 0.0001), feeling unable to positively influence the situation (p = 0.0262) and study-related effects, such as perceived study burden (p = 0.0003) and likely delay in studies (p = 0.0178)). The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant negative impact on the mental health of students in health-related fields. Proactive efforts to support the mental health and well-being of students are needed.

Factors influencing study engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study among health and social professions students.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to explore factors influencing the study engagement of health and social professions students during the COVID-19 pandemic. While antecedents of study engagement have been studied previously, the factors influencing engagement under pandemic conditions have not yet been investigated. Furthermore, there is a particular need for research among students in health and social professions programs, as these students are particularly affected by the pandemic. As theoretical basis, the study draws on the demands-resources-theory. It is hypothesized that pandemic-related study and personal resources drive engagement during the pandemic, and that pandemic-related demands negatively influence engagement. METHOD: The study uses a cross-sectional survey to explore the hypothesized effects. The sample consists of 559 university students of health and social professions in Germany. The study was carried out in July 2020, towards the end of the first digital semester and after the first peak in COVID-19 cases. Data are analyzed using linear multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The findings show that the demands-resources-theory is suitable to explain study engagement even under pandemic conditions. Suitable digital learning formats and social support are identified as important study resources for study engagement during major life events, while emotional resilience, active self-care and academic self-efficacy are identified as important personal resources. CONCLUSIONS: Under pandemic conditions academic institutions should focus on providing beneficial teaching formats and innovative ways to support students lacking social networks. Besides, they should consider developing means to help students structuring daily life as well as establishing initiatives to strengthen students' self-efficacy beliefs.

Determinants of content marketing effectiveness: Conceptual framework and empirical findings from a managerial perspective.

Content marketing has gained momentum around the world and is steadily gaining importance in the marketing mix of organizations. Nevertheless, it has received comparatively little attention from the scientific community. In particular, there is very little knowledge about the effectiveness, optimal design and implementation of content marketing. In this study, the authors conceptualize content marketing as a set of activities that are embedded in and contingent on the specific organizational context. Based on this framework, the authors empirically investigate the context features determining content marketing effectiveness from a managerial perspective, using primary data collected from senior marketers in 263 organizations from various sectors and across different size categories, conducting multiple regression analysis. The empirical results indicate that clarity and commitment regarding content marketing strategy and a content production in line with the organization's target groups' content needs as well as normative journalistic quality criteria are context factors associated with higher content marketing effectiveness. The outcomes also reveal that regularly measuring content marketing performance and using the data obtained as guidance for improving content offerings positively influence content marketing effectiveness, as do structural specialization and specialization-enabling processes and systems. The insights provided in this study could offer important theoretical contributions for research on content marketing and its effectiveness and may help practitioners to optimize the design and implementation of content marketing initiatives.

Associations between culture of health and employee engagement in social enterprises: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: The aging of staff and skill shortage are major challenges for social enterprises. Nurturing a workplace culture of health and fostering employee engagement could be starting points to combat these challenges. The associations between these two factors have received comparatively little attention from the scientific community, in particular with regard to social enterprises. Hence, this study aims to examine those associations, drawing on the job demands-resources theory and the social-ecological workplace culture of health model. It is hypothesized that employees' self-rated health acts as a mediator in the relationship between culture of health and employee engagement and that health as personal value works as a moderator. METHOD: The study used the Workplace Culture of Health scale to measure culture of health in social enterprises and UWES-9 to assess employee engagement. Data was collected administering a quantitative online survey among employees of social enterprises in Germany. The dataset for analyses comprised N = 172 employees in total. Data analyses included Pearson's correlations, regression analysis, as well as mediation, moderation and moderated mediation analyses. RESULTS: Culture of health is a predictor of employee engagement in social enterprises. The analyses demonstrate a moderate association between culture of health and employee engagement. Indications were found that employees' self-rated health acts as a mediator and that health as personal value acts as a moderator between culture of health and employee engagement in social enterprises. DISCUSSION: This study suggests that fostering a culture of health in social enterprises does not only have a positive effect on employee health, but also on employee engagement. This applies in particular when employees attribute great value to their health, which is to be expected even more in future. Hence, nurturing a culture of health becomes a pivotal management task in social enterprises. Moreover, a comprehensive assessment of the benefits of health promotion programs in social enterprises should not only consider their health-related outcomes, but also factor in their impact on employee engagement.

Arbeitsengagement und Belastungserleben von Health Professionals in Zeiten der Corona-Pandemie - Eine Querschnittstudie.

Work engagement and stress experience of health professionals in times of the corona pandemic Abstract. Background: The corona pandemic, caused by the novel viral disease COVID-19, has led to excessive strain in health professionals whose general occupational situation in itself is associated with high levels of stress. So far, there is no quantitative data on the stress experience caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in German health professionals and on the consequences of this experience for their commitment to work. METHOD: With a cross-sectional design, German health professionals were asked about their stress experience, health concerns and work commitment. The snapshot survey used self-developed questions plus items of a validated scale measuring work engagement. A convenience sample of health professionals was recruited through social media. The E-Survey reached 1168 valid cases, the majority of which were nurses (80.4 %, n = 855). RESULTS: The evaluation shows that health professionals in direct contact with COVID-19 patients show higher stress levels than participants with no contact and that their main concern is about the health of relatives, friends and family. In addition, it was found that the participants' work commitment decreased parallel to the increase in pandemic-related stress. DISCUSSION: The study shows significant correlations between work demands, stress experience and work engagement. In contrast to earlier studies, the results for work engagement in the sample are relatively low. There is a growing number of international recommendations for reducing work-related stress factors in a pandemic which should now be implemented in Germany on a large scale. These include, amongst others, pandemic specific catalogues of prevention measures and the creation of a blame-free work environment.