ABSTRACT
In this paper we present first findings of the Digi-Care project, a multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder research project investigating the impacts of digitization on nursing work practices and in particular the transmission of patient care information within and beyond nursing work practices. We completed the initial data collection of the funded 3-year research project and report on a plethora of significant and critical IT-related events. Some of them can be attributed to usability issues.
Subject(s)
Research Design , Data Collection , Humans , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: 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. AIMS: (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. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of RN4CAST data (October 2009 to June 2010) on 61 AHAs and 466 RNs in 13 Swiss acute care hospitals. METHODS: 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. FINDINGS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides primary evidence linking AHAs' work environment quality ratings to burnout, job satisfaction, and intention to leave in acute care hospitals. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: 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.
Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Job Satisfaction , Nursing Staff, Hospital/psychology , Workplace/standards , Adult , Burnout, Professional/etiology , Career Choice , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Intention , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Surveys and Questionnaires , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To examine the work values of Swiss healthcare assistant students, who, at the end of their vocational education in hospitals and nursing homes, choose to pursue a registered nurse degree. DESIGN: A prospective, cross-sectional survey was administered to a full cohort of healthcare assistant students in their last year of study in the canton of Bern (n=272). METHOD: Multivariate methods (logistic regression) were applied to estimate the joint effect of work experience and work values in choosing to pursue a registered nurse education. FINDINGS: Among work values, extrinsic values (regarding wage, career und educational perspectives) had a strong effect on the decisions of healthcare assistant students to pursue further education as registered nurses. Grades, socio-economic background and satisfaction during education also had an effect. CONCLUSIONS: Higher valuation of income, career and further education affect the career intentions of nursing assistants who have already obtained a recognized healthcare education and nursing experience. Teachers and trainers should actively identify the work values and expectations of these students. Provision of adequate advice and suggestions for the career development of these students may be an important route by which to address the nursing shortage and recruitment problems.
