Perceptions Of Work Environment Research Articles

An Exploratory Study of the Associations Between the Hospital Work Environment and Implementation of Baby-Friendly Hospital Policy.

A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used to explore the relationships between the hospital work environment and implementation of the Baby-Friendly USA Ten Steps Policy in an urban hospital. Nurses reported the degree to which the Ten Steps policy was implemented, perceptions of the unit work environment using the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI), and self-efficacy related to the implementation of the policy. Results suggest that the work environment and the implementation of breastfeeding policy have separate and independent effects on nurse self-efficacy. Robust nursing leadership focused on education and skill development for clinicians, and focused on post-hospital care for patients and families are important contributory factors to successful breastfeeding policy implementation.

The perceived work environment and well-being: A survey of emergency health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BackgroundDuring the COVID‐19 pandemic, health care provider well‐being was affected by various challenges in the work environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the perceived work environment and mental well‐being of a sample of emergency physicians (EPs), emergency medicine (EM) nurses, and emergency medical services (EMS) providers during the pandemic.MethodsWe surveyed attending EPs, resident EPs, EM nurses, and EMS providers from 10 academic sites across the United States. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to estimate the effect of the perceived work environment on screening positive for depression/anxiety and burnout controlling for respondent characteristics. We tested possible predictors in the multivariate regression models and included the predictors that were significant in the final model.ResultsOur final sample included 701 emergency health care workers. Almost 23% of respondents screened positive for depression/anxiety and 39.7% for burnout. Nurses were significantly more likely to screen positive for depression/anxiety (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–3.86) and burnout (aOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.22–3.49) compared to attendings. The LCA analysis identified four subgroups of our respondents that differed in their responses to the work environment questions. These groups were identified as Work Environment Risk Group 1, an overall good work environment; Risk Group 2, inadequate resources; Risk Group 3, lack of perceived organizational support; and Risk Group 4, an overall poor work environment. Participants in the two groups who perceived their work conditions as most adverse were significantly more likely to screen positive for depression/anxiety (aOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.05–3.42; and aOR 2.04, 95% CI 1.14–3.66) compared to participants working in environments perceived as less adverse.ConclusionsWe found a strong association between a perceived adverse working environment and poor mental health, particularly when organizational support was deemed inadequate. Targeted strategies to promote better perceptions of the workplace are needed.

Travel Nurse Perceptions of Work Environment, Authentic Leadership, Well-Being, and Pandemic Impact

Travel nurse (TN) utilization has increased in the United States as both a staffing solution and a career choice. We studied the perceptions of TNs regarding their work environment, nurse leadership, and pandemic impact on practice and well-being. We found their well-being “at risk,” disagreement with the presence of a healthy work environment, and high pandemic impact, similar to the larger sample of 1700 US nurses. Authentic nurse leadership was present, signaling solid frontline leadership despite continued pandemic conditions. TNs should be embraced as members of the care team in our new world of dynamic nurse staffing.

A Safe Return to Campus in Times of COVID-19: A Survey Study among University Personnel to Inform Decision Makers.

Halfway through 2021 in the midst of a public health crisis, a new academic year was fast approaching. Dutch universities were preparing to reopen their campuses to students and personnel in a safe manner. As the vaccination uptake was increasing and societies were slowly reopening, inviting students and personnel to campus became the next step to “the new normal”. To absorb this change seamlessly, it was considered important to investigate personnel’s beliefs about returning to campus and their perceptions of a safe working environment. An online survey was conducted among personnel (N = 1965) of Maastricht University, the Netherlands. University personnel’s beliefs about a safe return to campus were assessed. The data were collected between 11 June and 28 June 2021. This study showed that, while most personnel (94.7%) were already vaccinated or willing to do so, not all personnel did feel safe to return to campus in September 2021. Over half of the respondents (58%) thought that the university is a safe place to return to work when the new academic year starts. However, the remainder of personnel felt unsafe or were uncertain for various reasons such as meeting in large groups or becoming infected. Moreover, when returning to campus, employees stated that they would require some time to reacclimate to their former work culture. The group who felt relatively more unsafe indicated that returning in September was too risky and that they worried about being infected. They wanted the safety guidelines to still be in force. On the other hand, the “safe” group stated safely returning to be “certainly possible” and trusted that others would still stick to the prevention guidelines. The findings led to practical recommendations for the University Board as they were preparing for organizing research and teaching for the upcoming academic year in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. A brief intervention was developed: a webinar in which the data were linked to the board’s plans for safe returning. This study demonstrates that university boards may use research among personnel to develop adequate measures promoting safety and feelings of safety among personnel in similar future situations.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Perceptions of Health, Work Environment and Experiences of Work-Related Symptoms Among Cleaning Workers

This study explored racial and ethnic differences in perception of work environment, safe work practices, general health status, experience of work-related injury or illness and subsequent symptom reporting and health care seeking behaviors among cleaning workers. This study analyzed cross-sectional data obtained from 183 cleaning workers employed in a university hospital or a health sciences campus in Northern California. The sample included 120 Asians (65.6%), 37 Hispanics (20.2%), and 27 other ethnicities (14.2%); 85.7% were foreign-born. Asian workers perceived lower job control and supervisor support and higher job strain than other workers. The odds of perceiving general health as excellent or very good were lower among Asians compared to Hispanics and Others. Asians who experienced chemical-related symptoms were less likely than Hispanics and others to report the symptoms to their supervisor or seek healthcare. Our study findings indicated racial/ethnic differences in perceptions of work and general health, seeking healthcare, and reporting behaviors among cleaning workers. Asian workers, specifically, may need special attention to improve their experiences of work environments and health in the workplace.

The Role of Participation in and Effectiveness of Shared Governance Councils in the Nurses' Perception of a Professional Practice Work Environment.

The aims of this study were to identify the differences in nurses' perceptions of their professional practice work environment (PPWE) related to their participation in shared governance (SG) councils and to examine the perception of effectiveness of SG councils among nurses who participate in them. Research suggests that adopting SG in nursing can lead to significant, positive outcomes, such as patient and nurse satisfaction and enhanced nurse empowerment, engagement, and a PPWE. The study used a cross-sectional design in a Magnet®-designated urban Jordanian cancer care hospital. A convenience sample of 580 direct care nurses was used. The data were collected using self-administered questionnaires, the Council Health (CH) instrument, and the Professional Practice Work Environment Inventory (PPWEI). Results demonstrated a significant difference in the total score of PPWE between the SG council members (4.85) and nonmembers (4.68) (t = 2.906, P = 0.004). The results also indicated small to strong correlations of the total overall council health mean and all domain means of council effectiveness with total overall PPWEI mean and all domain means of PPWE (P < 0.05) among nurses who participated in SG councils. Findings support involving more staff in SG councils and that enhancing the SG councils' effectiveness positively affects the PPWE.

The Effects of the Authentic Leadership Perceptions on the Positive Work Environment Perceptions of Nurses Working at a Research and Training Hospital

The Effects of the Authentic Leadership Perceptions on the Positive Work Environment Perceptions of Nurses Working at a Research and Training Hospital

Emirati Parents’ Attitudes toward the Military and National Service in the United Arab Emirates

Compulsory national service for male citizens presents the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces with an opportunity to recruit future military officers. Research showed that parental attitudes towards the military, manifested through their communication with youths, are likely to influence youths’ decision on a military career. Hence this study examined the attitudes of Emirati parents on the UAE military and national service; particularly parental perceptions of the military work environment; support of a military career for their children; and concerns about national service. Surveys, individual and focus group interviews were conducted with 59 Emirati parents. It found that most participants held the positive view that the military work environment helps attainment of professional goals but were uncertain about personal goals and workplace conditions. Also, more participants were supportive of a military career for sons than daughters. It also identified the basis for parental confidence about enlistment as patriotism and development of positive character traits but main concerns were the exposure to harsh training conditions and threat to life during enlistment. Recommendations were provided for better engagement by the UAE military with Emirati parents and the community.

Does psychological work environment matter? Relationship between psychological climate reflecting individual perception of work environment and stress among public servants

This study examines how individual perceptions of the work environment reflecting the psychological climate could influence the stress felt by public servants. This study adopts a transactional perspective to argue that valuation of the work environment and the job itself influences the perception of potential stressors and hypothesizes the relationship between the self-engagement psychological climate, stress, and intention to stay in public service. The proposed hypotheses are validated through a cross-sectional survey of 332 public servants in Switzerland. First, the study finds that role clarity, contribution, and supportive management characterize the psychological climate of public servants. Second, the results of the multiple regression analysis indicate that the psychological climate reduces the felt stress with the highest impact of the role clarity. Third, mediation analysis indicates that the psychological climate mediates the relationship between intention to stay and stress. These findings suggest an important theoretical role for the work environment perception in alleviating stress. In practice, findings imply that public managers can foster a higher psychological climate by setting clear organizational roles and predictable task norms, as well as by providing opportunities for career development.

A Survey of Psychiatric Healthcare Workers' Perception of Working Environment and Possibility to Recover Before and After the First Wave of COVID-19 in Sweden.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceived working environment, including the possibility to recover, among psychiatric healthcare workers (PHCWs) in comparison with pre-pandemic measures.Method: A link to an anonymous, web-based COVID-19 related survey was sent via email to all PHCWs at a university hospital in Sweden (n = 1,618) in September 2020. The response rate was 38% (566 of 1,507 eligible participants). Working environment survey responses collected in 2019 were used as pre-pandemic comparators. Statistical analyses were performed to assess overall impact over time on work demands, support, motivation, and recovery, stratified by professional role, and considering variables such as access to personal protective equipment.Results: The percentage of individuals responding negatively to statements about working environment increased significantly for most items after the first wave. Similarly, the increase of five of the investigated factors indicated a more negative perception of recovery during the pandemic. Registered nurses reported a greater negative impact of the pandemic on perceived working conditions and ability to recover than other professional groups. PHCWs working with patients with COVID-19 (35%) who reported being worried about becoming infected (12%) or infecting others (17%), or lacking adequate personal protective equipment (22%) were more negatively impacted regarding work environment-related items than those who did not.Conclusions: PHCWs' working environment and possibility for recovery were impacted by the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses being most affected. Although psychiatric services do not directly care for patients with severe COVID-19 infection, the results from this study suggests that mental health services should also prepare for future pandemics.

Working at home and expectations of being available: effects on perceived work environment, turnover intentions, and health.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine if (i) working at home and (ii) expectations of being available to the employer in their spare time influences employees’ perceptions of their work environment and well-being, health, organizational commitment, or intention to leave.MethodsWe conducted cross-sectional analyses of survey data from 7861 office workers reporting hours worked at home and 3146 reporting frequency of expectations of being available to the employer in spare time (availability expectations). Prospective analyses (two-year follow up) comprised 5258 and 2082, respectively. Dependent variables were work factors previously associated with health complaints, mental distress, positive affect, work–private life conflict, commitment, and intention to leave. Random intercept linear and logistic regressions controlled for time worked (in addition to regular hours), age, gender, and skill level.Results“Hours working at home” was cross-sectionally associated with higher levels of demands, role ambiguity, role conflicts, decision control, empowering leadership, human resource primacy, commitment, work–private life conflict, and lower support from co-workers. “Availability expectations” was associated with higher levels of demands, role conflicts, neck pain, mental distress, thinking that work was not finished when going to bed, sleep problems, work–private life conflict, intentions to leave and with lower levels of superior support, co-worker support, fair leadership, and commitment. There were no prospective associations.ConclusionsWorking at home was associated with both positive and negative factors. Specific factors pertaining to role expectations and support from co-workers pose challenges. Availability expectations was associated with potentially negative work factors and health, organizational commitment, and intentions to leave. There were no long-term effects.

The Impact of a Workplace Terrorist Attack on the Psychosocial Work Environment: A Longitudinal Study From Pre- to Post-disaster.

The psychosocial work environment is of great importance for regaining health and productivity after a workplace disaster. Still, there is a lack of knowledge about the impact of a disaster on the psychosocial work environment. The purpose of this study was to examine whether employees' perceptions of role clarity, role conflicts, and predictability in their work situation changed from before to after a workplace terrorist attack. We combined data from two prospective work environment surveys of employees in three governmental ministries that were the target of the 2011 Oslo terrorist attack. A first two-wave survey was conducted 4–5 years and 2–3 years before the attack, and a second three-wave survey took place 10 months, 2 years, and 3 years after the attack. Of 504 individuals who were employed at the time of the bombing, 220 were employed in both pre- and post-disaster periods, participated in both the first and the second survey, and consented to the linking of data from the two surveys. We found no significant changes in levels of role clarity, role conflict, and predictability from before to after the terrorist attack. Adjusting for sex, age and education had no effect on the results. The findings suggest that perceptions of the psychosocial working environment are likely to be maintained at previous levels in the aftermath of a workplace disaster. Considering the importance of the psychosocial work environment for regaining health and productivity, the findings are important for the preparation for, and management of, future crises.

Perceptions of Authentic Nurse Leadership and Work Environment and the Pandemic Impact for Nurse Leaders and Clinical Nurses.

Perceptions of Authentic Nurse Leadership and Work Environment and the Pandemic Impact for Nurse Leaders and Clinical Nurses.

A Pre/Post Analysis of the Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Psychosocial Work Environment and Recovery among Healthcare Workers in a Large University Hospital in Sweden

Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on workload, mental health, and well-being of healthcare workers, and particularly those on the front-line, has received considerable attention.Design and methods: We surveyed hospital employees about their working environment during the pandemic and identified departments which were negatively affected in comparison to the pre-pandemic situation, as well as factors contributing to this.Setting and participants We surveyed all hospital employees at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden in September 2020 and compared results across departments and to the results of a large employee survey from October 2019.Results: The overall impact of the pandemic on perceived working conditions and possibility for recovery differed among departments. During the pandemic, healthcare workers working with COVID-19 patients reported poorer working environments than other employees. Factors significantly related to perception of work environment and recovery during the pandemic included worries of being infected, departmental transfer, and having insufficient access to personal protective equipment. Men reported better working conditions than women in all, but one item and higher age was related to better perceived working environment.Conclusions: Our results indicate that the pandemic differentially affects hospital departments and underscores the multifactorial nature of this topic. Contributing factors to poor perceived working environment could be addressed at times of high workload, such as during the pandemic, including providing appropriate support to managers, ensuring possibility for recovery during working hours, and acknowledging worries about infection. Young healthcare workers and staff who are relocated due to the pandemic warrant special attention. Significance for public health The pandemic has raised the awareness of the importance of health care workers for the society and their health and well-being. The results of this study emphasize the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the work environment and possibility for recovery among health care workers in a hospital context. Many work-related issues could be better attended to, even in the time of crisis, and the results of this study could be used to improve the well-being among health care workers. The results also show that young health care workers need special attention regarding support and possibility for recovery.

To stay or leave: Public health nurse workforce retention in North Carolina.

To better understand retention in the NC Public Health Nurses (PHNs) workforce through an assessment of perceptions of the working environment, stress, intent to stay, and job satisfaction. A cross-sectional online survey using closed and open-ended questions. The study population comprised of non-supervisory PHNs (n=672) working at NC local health departments (LHD). Retention problem, working environment, and job satisfaction measures were adapted from the revised Casey-Fink Registered Nurse Retention Survey© (2009) to fit public health settings. Despite high levels of job satisfaction (79.76%, n=473), 53% of respondents (n=323) acknowledged a retention problem within their LHD; 35.32% (n=203) planned to/considered leaving their position in the next 3 years for reasons other than retirement. ANOVAs and Kruskal Wallis Test results showed that those planning to leave had statistically lower scores on perceived working environment and job satisfaction and demonstrated higher negative stress levels. Like other states, NC is experiencing a PHN shortages predicted to worsen in coming years. To retain the current workforce, LHDs need to work to improve PHNs working environment, increase PHNs' pay, and alleviate stressors.

The Perception of Quality Nursing Work Environment among Hospital Nurses

Background: Nurses, the more significant health care provider, need an excellent work environment that adequately expresses their skills and knowledge on providing optimum care quality outcomes to the patients. Objective: This study aimed to determine the current state of the nurses’ perceived work environment quality and examine differences in perceived work environment quality among nurses with different characteristics. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional correlation design and a probability sampling method recruit 334 hospital nurses. The self-report questionnaire scale of the Quality Nursing Work Environment (QNWE) was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, variant analysis (ANOVA), independent-sample t-test, and Pearson correlation were utilized to analyze comprehensive data. Result: The participants reported a perceived moderate level of quality of the work environment. The perceived QNWE levels were found to differ across participants' ages statistically (p<0.05), work experience (p<0.01), and department (p<0.05). Most participants rated their working environment as high quality on the domain Professional specialization and cooperation (M=2.81; SD=0.53). Contrarily, the responses to domain 2, Staff quality, were ranked lower (M= 3.32; SD=0.63). Nurses who worked in the special care units and had three years or more experience perceived lower work environment quality than others did. Recommendation: The finding of this study can be utilized as a guideline to the policymakers, hospital administrators, nurse supervisors, and educators to determine areas to improve nurses' work environment; which could translate into a significant improvement in patient outcome

141 Effectiveness of De-escalation Training in the Emergency Department

Managing agitated patients in the emergency department (ED) can cause a significant amount of anxiety to providers. Traditionally, medical staff were trained to use physical and/or chemical restraints as a first step approach when treating this patient population. Recent literature now encourages a greater emphasis on the use of de-escalation techniques, where the physician and patient work together to help the patient manage his or her emotions and behavior. Currently, there is a gap in knowledge on how to provide effective de-escalation training for emergency medicine providers and the training’s impact on patient care. The goal of this project is to better understand if interactive training on the crisis development model with a focus on verbal de-escalation techniques will increase the comfort levels of providers while caring for behavioral health patients in the ED. A secondary objective is to understand the staff’s perception of the ED working environment. Participants were selected from Penn State Medical Center ED physicians, residents, and mid-level providers who attended one of the de-escalation training seminars. Two 2-hour interactive training sessions consisting of didactics and interactive role-playing scenarios to practice the crisis development model were provided. Surveys containing qualitative and quantitative questions to analyze the course's effectiveness and to understand ED clinicians' experiences were completed by attendees immediately prior to and directly after the training. The results of this study will inform future de-escalation training practices within the ED. In the pilot study consisting of two training sessions, a total of 58 attendees completed the pre-training survey and 42 attendees completed the post-training survey. When the group was asked to rate their comfort level using verbal de-escalation techniques in the care of the ED behavioral health patient on a scale of 1-10 prior to and immediately after the training session, the average score increased from 5.9 to 7.5 with a p-value < 0.01. After the de-escalation course, 34 of 42 (76.2%) participants reported they would be less likely to immediately just to physical restraints p-value < 0.01 and 46 of 47 (97.9%) participants reported the de-escalation course helped them re-evaluate how they approach behavioral health patients p-value < 0.01. Participants reported the mode of being verbally insulted by patients in the ED was monthly and 38% responded they did not have any coping mechanisms to deal with this stress. The results of the initial pilot study indicate that the majority of attendees feel the de-escalation training taught as an interactive lecture has changed the way they will approach behavioral health patients. One limitation was that not all attendees completed the post-evaluation survey, which may have introduced biases in the results. Additionally, the current methods do not provide a means to examine whether the new skill set was actually implemented by clinicians. However, the high proportion of clinicians who self-reported that they would be implementing the techniques are extremely promising.

Psychological Distress and Work Environment Perception by Physical Therapists from Southern Italy during COVID-19 Pandemic: The C.A.L.A.B.R.I.A Study.

The psychosocial impact of the work environment during the COVID-19 pandemic on health professionals is a growing issue. The present study examined specific psychosocial work environment indicators during the COVID-19 pandemic, through a multiple regression model of a self-administered cross-sectional online survey in a cohort of physical therapists from a region of Southern Italy from March 2020 to May 2021. The questionnaire contained items on work and healthcare issues related to COVID-19. Eighty physical therapists (29 male and 51 female), mean age 32.5 ± 10.1 years, were involved in this survey. The multiple regression analysis showed that “management activity” was significantly correlated to “therapist frustration” during the COVID-19 pandemic (ΔR2 = 0.16; p < 0.03). Findings of this study underline the importance of a healthy psychosocial work environment to enhance job satisfaction of all health professionals and to avoid role conflict and burnout syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Association of changes in work due to COVID-19 pandemic with psychosocial work environment and employee health: a cohort study of 24 299 Finnish public sector employees

ObjectivesTo examine the associations of COVID-19-related changes in work with perceptions of psychosocial work environment and employee health.MethodsIn a cohort of 24 299 Finnish public sector employees, psychosocial work environment...

Licenced practical nurses' perceptions of their work environments and their intention to stay: A cross-sectional study of four practice settings.

Aims and objectivesThis study aimed to understand how licenced practical nurses perceive their work environments across different work settings and to analyse the association between these nurses’ perceptions of their work environments and their intentions to stay employed at their current nursing unit.DesignA cross‐sectional descriptive survey was conducted with Licensed Practical Nurses in Alberta, Canada.MethodsThe study population consisted of 598 licenced practical nurses. Survey measures included demographic information, the Perceived Work Environment‐Nursing Work Index, and an intention to stay scale. Descriptive statistics were calculated and mean scores for perceptions about the work environment were compared by work setting. The associations between perceived work environment and intention to stay were analysed using linear regression.ResultsOverall, licenced practical nurses rated their work environment as mixed, with statistically significantly lower scores in acute care settings. Nurse manager ability and adequate staffing and resources were the highest contributing variables.