Abstract
Adopting a theoretical perspective that acknowledges both formal and informal learning as crucial and emphasises reproductive and developmental learning as complementary, this article analyses and discusses temporary agency nurses’ experiences of working and learning, focusing on conditions for workplace learning. This provides opportunities to address questions about conditions for the integration of work and learning in a work situation characterised by flexibilization and individualisation. More specifically, among individuals moving between different organizational contexts rather than working at ‘a’ (single and stable) workplace provided by the employer. By presenting findings based on a thematic analysis of 21 interviews with individual temporary agency nurses working in Swedish health care, both opportunities and challenges for workplace learning is highlighted. While opportunities for informal learning linked to the movement between various client organizations as well as to nursing as common ground and as valued and recognized competence, is identified, at the same time, challenges connected to both formal and informal learning, are also illuminated. Regarding informal learning, challenges in terms of varied and general support and feedback as well as scarce opportunities and low expectations for the temporary agency nurses’ participation in development work in daily work/at client organizations, is identified. The findings thus also illuminate a risk for temporary agency nurses adjusting to prevailing working conditions rather than engaging in developmental learning. Regarding formal learning, challenges in terms of few opportunities for planned learning activities, is identified. All in all, the findings illuminate conditions for workplace learning for temporary agency nurses as clearly dependent not only on the offers of specific temporary work agencies and client organisations, but also on temporary agency nurses’ interest in and views regarding responsibility for learning, and thus highly varying.
Highlights
This paper highlights conditions for workplace learning among temporary agency nurses employed by temporary work agencies but performing daily work in client organisations
In which conditions for workplace learning are closely related to the employing organisation, we regard these conditions as divided for temporary agency nurses, with matters related to daily work handled by client organizations and longerterm issues addressed by temporary work agencies (Håkansson & Isidorsson, 2015)
Three themes and seven subthemes were identified. Two of these themes; ‘Learning as enabled’ and ‘Learning as constrained’, illuminated factors related to temporary work agency and client organization through two versus three related subthemes, while the third theme; ‘Diverging views on and evaluations of prevailing working and learning conditions’, illuminated factors related to individual temporary agency nurses through two related subthemes
Summary
This paper highlights conditions for workplace learning among temporary agency nurses employed by temporary work agencies but performing daily work in client organisations. This provides opportunities to address questions about the conditions for integrating work and learning in a work situation discussed as characterised by flexibilization and individualisation (Allvin et al, 2006; Garsten, 2008; Sennett, 2000). In which conditions for workplace learning are closely related to the employing organisation, we regard these conditions as divided for temporary agency nurses, with matters related to daily work handled by client organizations and longerterm issues addressed by temporary work agencies (Håkansson & Isidorsson, 2015). In addition to conditions related to the client organization and temporary work agency, subjective factors related to individuals’ willingness and their interest in learning (Ellström, 2001, 2004), is examined and discussed
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