Workload Pressures Research Articles

Paramedic or GP consultations in primary care: prospective study comparing costs and outcomes.

General Practice faces pressures due to increased demand and a shortage of GPs. Paramedics in General Practice (PGPs), increasingly contribute to managing minor illnesses, conducting home visits, and providing urgent consultations. Explore the impact of paramedic-consultations on patient-reported experience, safe management and NHS costs. Prospective cohort study comparing PGP with GP consultations at 34 GP sites in England. Eligible participants had a consultation with a PGP (25 PGP sites) or GP (9 non-PGP sites) between May 2022 and February 2023. Questionnaires were provided after the initial consultation and 30 days later. Questionnaires assessed patient experience, outcomes and perceived safety (PCOQ and PREOS-PC), quality of life (EQ-5D-5L) and health care use. Of 715 participants recruited, 489 completed the 30-day questionnaire. We found no evidence that PGP-consultations resulted in greater improvement/deterioration in patient-reported health and wellbeing; confidence in health provision; health knowledge; or confidence in the health plan over the 30-day period. However, the PGP group reported lower confidence in health provision, poorer perceptions of practice engagement in safety promotion and more communication problems with staff immediately after the initial consultation. Patients receiving PGP-consultations reported fewer GP appointments during the 30-day period, however savings to the NHS were offset by higher use of other healthcare professionals. Well-designed training and supervision are needed to ensure PGPs have the right knowledge and can clearly convey health care plans to patients. While PGPs may reduce GP workload pressure, they do not necessarily reduce NHS costs.

Unveiling Efficiency: A Research Inquiry into Technical Staff Utilization in South Indian Clinical Laboratory using Workload Indicators Staffing Need (WSN) Analysis.

Background Effective clinical laboratories are the need of the hour, they play a significant role in healthcare, providing tests for diagnosis, treatment monitoring. Having skilled and adequate staffing is crucial for clinical laboratories to operate efficiently, manage their workload effectively, and deliver test results in a timely manner. Despite being critical for healthcare delivery, ensuring adequate staffing levels in clinical laboratories remains a complex challenge for healthcare providers worldwide due to resource constraints and workforce shortages. Methods This study evaluates the effectiveness of clinical laboratory staff utilization by considering workload, work pressure, and staffing requirements. We utilized the Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) method to assess the staffing in the clinical laboratory of a tertiary care hospital. Annual hospital statistics were collected for two years from June 2021 to May 2023 to calculate the average number of days (234) worked annually, percentage of workload, distribution of activity time measurement units, and the ratio of needed, surplus, and existing staff. The findings aim to provide valuable insights for optimizing staffing levels and ensuring an efficient laboratory environment. Result The analysis found a significant workforce gap in the laboratory between the current staff numbers and the calculated staffing needs. The WISN ratios ranged from 0.2 to 0.7, indicating the existing 33 staff members face a high workload burden. The calculated ideal staffing level was 46.33 personnel. These results demonstrate staff shortage and excess workload pressure on the current laboratory employees. Conclusion The results highlight the importance of optimizing staffing levels in clinical laboratories to ensure quality service delivery. The WISN methodology can be a useful tool in healthcare facilities for making evidence -based decisions for staff allocation, maximizing the utilization of employee skill sets, and establishing standard staffing benchmarks tailored to the needs of clinical laboratories.

Investigating the Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Resilience of Postgraduate Researchers

Background: This study investigates the factors affecting the mental health and wellbeing of postgraduate researchers (PGRs) at a UK institution, with a focus on resilience as a determinant of wellbeing. PGRs experience unique challenges, including workload pressures, isolation, and imposter syndrome. Methods: This study employs a mixed-methods approach to identifying the most pertinent factors affecting their wellbeing. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey using validated scales such as the Warwick-Edinburgh mental wellbeing scale (WEMWBS), the Connor–Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC), and the Juniper PhD wellbeing scale (JPWBS). Result: The survey results revealed that PGRs scored significantly lower on wellbeing and resilience compared with the general population. To further explore these findings, qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with a subset of participants, generating the following key themes: control, balance, and coping. Conclusions: The research highlights the complex interplay between institutional factors, personal expectations, and coping strategies in shaping PGR wellbeing. The findings underscore the need for tailored interventions that address these factors, emphasizing the importance of building resilience, providing adequate support, and fostering a balanced work–life environment for PGRs. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on PGR mental health, offering insights for universities to enhance support services and promote a healthier research environment.

Green IT and BYOD: driving sustainability, job performance, and well-being in remote work

Purpose This study aims to explore the impact of bring your own device (BYOD) practices on teleworkers’ job performance, work–life conflict and their implications for environmental sustainability, with a particular focus on Green IT in the post-pandemic remote work context. Drawing on the job demands–resources (JD-R) model, it examines the relationships between private technology adoption, job demands, job resources, job performance and work–life conflict, while also assessing how BYOD impacts environmental outcomes such as electronic waste reduction and carbon emissions. Design/methodology/approach The study used confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS version 22 to evaluate seven hypotheses among 424 full-time teleworkers from various occupational sectors in Mauritius, a developing country. Findings SEM results confirm that BYOD enhances job performance and work–life conflict through increased job autonomy, workload and work pressure. BYOD and teleworking also contribute to Green IT and environmental sustainability by reducing energy consumption and electronic waste, indirectly supporting broader sustainability goals through reduced corporate device demand and lower commuting-related emissions. Practical implications Organisations should leverage BYOD policies to advance Green IT practices and improve work performance in remote settings, focusing on balancing job demands with resources like work autonomy to enhance productivity and well-being. Originality/value The findings strongly support the JD-R model in the context of remote work and BYOD, particularly in developing economies with limited infrastructure, offering insights for policies that enhance both employee well-being, Green IT and environmental sustainability.

Strategies for primary healthcare in Ukraine: An integrated response to gender-based violence

Abstract Issue/problem Survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Ukraine face significant challenges in accessing appropriate healthcare services. Despite governmental commitment, acknowledgment and regulatory frameworks, including the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, gaps persist in integrating comprehensive GBV/CRSV services into primary healthcare (PHC) settings, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict with Russia. Description of the problem An analysis of healthcare providers’ knowledge has revealed deficiencies in effectively supporting GBV/CRSV survivors. Barriers include workload pressures, lack of inter-sectoral cooperation and case-management protocols, and insufficient training opportunities on survivor support. In collaboration with the World Health Organization, the global Clinical Management of Rape (CMR) guidelines was adapted for Ukrainian context. Among findings from CMR trainings attended by 443 PHC providers in 2022-2023 (213 participants in 2022 and 230 participants in 2023), the results underscore gaps in PHC workers’ basic knowledge and readiness to effectively support survivors during the war. Results Data from WHO training sessions underscored significant gaps in knowledge among healthcare professionals regarding legal protocols, available resources, and best practices in PHC service delivery. Identified barriers emphasized the urgent need for targeted interventions to enhance PHC workers’ capacity in GBV/CRSV response. Lessons Recommendations focus on systemic enhancements including revising regulatory frameworks, developing standardized protocols, and institutionalizing and providing comprehensive training programs. Innovative approaches like online courses, mentoring programs, and integrated service models are crucial for addressing multifaceted challenges. Key messages • A holistic GBV/CRSV response is an essential component in PHC. • This intersectoral survivor-centered approach provides safe spaces that can be adapted to other contexts in Europe.

Exploring the feasibility of using a bedside device to help prevent nighttime falls.

Older people living in the community are at risk of preventable nighttime falls. Technology can support falls interventions but there is a lack of research into this area. A new bedside device called Bide senses movement and changes in light levels and plays a prerecorded message encouraging the user to follow falls prevention advice when trying to mobilise at night. To test the feasibility of using the Bide device in a community health service. Healthcare workers were trained in the use of the Bide device and asked to identify potential participants. The research team subsequently recruited participants, provided them with a device and explained how to use it. After four weeks, participants took part in face-to-face semi-structured interviews regarding the acceptability of the device. Participants' fear of falling was calculated before and after the intervention using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International. The Bide device appeared to increase patients' confidence to mobilise at night and no adverse events were reported from its use. The device was generally found to be acceptable and easy to use, although one participant found it irritating. Healthcare workers flagged up very few potential participants to the research team, which may have been due to workload pressures and a disconnect between healthcare workers and technology. It appears feasible to study the use of the Bide device for nighttime falls prevention in the community. To enhance recruitment, a member of the research team may be embedded in the clinical team with the aim of proactively identifying potential participants.

A Study On Effects Of Work-Life Balance And Women Employees Job Productivity In It Organizations

This study examined just at work-life balance and women productivity in only few IT sectors in Chennai. The study was stimulated by the IT sectoring industry's high rate of work-life unequal distribution. The study specifically examined the impact of workload pressure, role conflict, family stress, and work flexibility on female productivity. The relevant conceptual, theoretical, and empirical literatures were investigated. This work examined the work life balance and ladies productivity in selected IT sectors in Chennai city. The study was necessitated by high rate of work-life unbalance in the IT sectoring industry. Specifically the study determined the effect of workload pressure, role conflict, family stress and Work flexibility on ladies productivity. Relevant conceptual, theoretical and empirical literatures were examined. A total of fifteen IT sectors were studied, and the population of study was 2021, with the sample size of total sample size evaluated using the statistical formula SPSS. The research also revealed that family stress has a significant impact on female productivity. The study concluded that work load pressure, role conflict, and family-related stress all have a negative impact on female productivity. According to the study, people should relax in ways that do not interfere with their work; it can be an efficient way to recover from identified work-life balance issues. Management must take note of the volume of work assigned to women in order to deal with work-life balance issues in the workplace. Management must act immediately to rectify the issue; work should be delegated accordingly to ensure that no one is overloaded. Ladies should be given appropriate breaks and vacation time.

Implementing Schwartz Rounds in children's social care: Enablers and barriers

Summary Children's social care services can be a challenging place to work, with staff regularly reporting higher stress levels relative to the general population and other public sector settings. Thus, it is important to provide staff with good support. Previously, we completed a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of Schwartz Rounds (SRs) and reported a series of non-statistically significant differences between intervention and comparison groups. We also undertook a process evaluation, to identify enablers and barriers to the successful implementation of SRs in children's social care. Findings Compared with studies of SRs in healthcare settings, we identified several similar enablers, such as senior management buy-in and effective administrative support, and some similar barriers, such as high workloads and poor publicity. We also identified specific enablers and barriers for social care settings, including the synergy between existing practice models and SRs, the nature of trauma in social care compared with healthcare, and some related to the different nature of organisational and workload pressures. Applications Understanding the differences between SRs in healthcare and social care will be useful for local authorities who may want to support their staff via the provision of SRs. They should also be useful in any future definitive evaluation of SRs for social care by helping to maximise the possibility for a successful implementation.

Addressing Nursing Resignation: Insights From Qualitative Studies on Nurses Leaving Healthcare Organisations and the Profession.

The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of nurses who resigned from healthcare organisations or abandoned the profession and explore the reasons behind them. A systematic review of qualitative studies and meta-summary. Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), Social Science Citation Index (Web of Science), and Scopus. The search was conducted up to May 2024. Primary qualitative studies focused on nurses who had resigned or left the profession were included. The meta-summary was conducted using method: findings were extracted from the reports, edited, grouped, abstracted into key meta-findings, and finally, their frequency effect sizes were calculated. A total of 282 findings were extracted from 12 studies, generating 49 statements of findings that were aggregated into nine key meta-findings. Poor management practices presented a frequency effect size of 100%. Other key meta-findings included excessive workload, teamwork hurdles, health issues related to work shifts and difficulty in maintaining work-life balance, a lack of career growth opportunities and promotion chances, disillusionment with nursing, dissatisfaction due to salary, bullying and horizontal violence, and moral distress over ethical dilemmas. The findings can help support the development of targeted strategies and the implementation of effective policies aimed at reducing nursing turnover. The major impact of these findings is the recognition of rising factors that negatively affect nurses' quality of life, including workload pressures and poor management strategies, which significantly lower job satisfaction. To address these challenges, the profession should prioritise tools that value nurses in their roles, implement strategies to manage workloads more effectively and advocate for policies promoting flexible scheduling. Additionally, investing in professional development and fostering a supportive work environment can help retain skilled nurses and nurture the growth of new talent. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). No patient or public contribution.

A Study On Effects Of Work-Life Balance And Women Employees Job Productivity In It Organizations

This study examined just at work-life balance and women productivity in only few IT sectors in Chennai. The study was stimulated by the IT sectoring industry's high rate of work-life unequal distribution. The study specifically examined the impact of workload pressure, role conflict, family stress, and work flexibility on female productivity. The relevant conceptual, theoretical, and empirical literatures were investigated. This work examined the work life balance and ladies productivity in selected IT sectors in Chennai city. The study was necessitated by high rate of work-life unbalance in the IT sectoring industry. Specifically the study determined the effect of workload pressure, role conflict, family stress and Work flexibility on ladies productivity. Relevant conceptual, theoretical and empirical literatures were examined. A total of fifteen IT sectors were studied, and the population of study was 2021, with the sample size of total sample size evaluated using the statistical formula SPSS. The research also revealed that family stress has a significant impact on female productivity. The study concluded that work load pressure, role conflict, and family-related stress all have a negative impact on female productivity. According to the study, people should relax in ways that do not interfere with their work; it can be an efficient way to recover from identified work-life balance issues. Management must take note of the volume of work assigned to women in order to deal with work-life balance issues in the workplace. Management must act immediately to rectify the issue; work should be delegated accordingly to ensure that no one is overloaded. Ladies should be given appropriate breaks and vacation time.

Assessing the Responsiveness of Moulay Ismail University to Teachers' Continuous Professional Development Needs: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

This study investigates the responsiveness of Moulay Ismail University (UMI) to the continuous professional development (CPD) needs of its teaching staff. The study integrates both quantitative and qualitative methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of teachers' perspectives. The quantitative phase involved administering a structured questionnaire to 214 teachers, focusing on their perceptions of the university's CPD offerings, including availability, relevance, accessibility, and institutional support. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze this data, revealing a predominantly negative attitude among teachers towards their university's ability to meet their CPD needs. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with 21 teachers. These interviews provided deeper insights into teachers' barriers, such as the lack of relevant CPD activities, the irrelevance between CPD content and pedagogical needs, and the overwhelming workload that limits their capacity for professional growth. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts identified key themes that aligned with the quantitative findings, offering a more nuanced perspective on the challenges associated with CPD at the UMI. The study concludes that the teachers at the UMI perceive the institution as largely unresponsive to their CPD needs. This sentiment echoes broader concerns within the literature about the neglect of university teachers' professional development in Morocco. The findings underscore the need for more relevant and accessible CPD programs tailored to the specific needs of faculty and institutional reforms that alleviate the workload pressures that hinder professional growth.

Exploring research participation in Scottish care homes since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Knowledge about research participation in care homes is sparse. To explore research participation in Scottish care homes, including the potential barriers and facilitators, a short survey was distributed to all care homes in Scotland in 2014. The survey was repeated in 2022 as care homes emerged from the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This article provides a comparison of the results of the 2022 survey (45 responses) with those of the 2014 survey (130 responses); the surveys were completed by care home staff. The results indicate that there has been a slight increase in the proportion of care homes involved in research in the intervening period but overall, research participation has remained low in this sector. In the 2022 survey, the main factors identified as influencing a resident's decision to participate in research were 'to help others', 'to benefit the resident' and the 'resident's desire to participate'. The main obstacles to research participation by staff and/or residents were workload pressure and lack of time, which had increased significantly since the 2014 survey. The results reinforce the importance of ensuring care home staff feel equipped to participate in research.

Evaluating video and hybrid group consultations in general practice: mixed-methods, participatory study protocol (TOGETHER 2).

General practice is facing an unprecedented challenge in managing the consequences of the pandemic. In the midst of a policy drive to balance remote and in-person service provision, substantial workload pressures remain, together with increasing prevalence of long-term conditions, and declining staff numbers and morale. To address these challenges, some practices in the UK have been delivering video and hybrid group consultations (VHGCs) providing clinical care to multiple patients at the same time. Despite positive initial findings and enthusiasm, there are still gaps in our understanding of the influence VHGCs have on patient experience, healthcare utilisation, quality, safety, equity and affordability. To generate an in-depth understanding of VHGCs for chronic conditions in general practice, surface assumptions and sociotechnical dynamics, inform practice and extend theorisation. Mixed-methods, multi-site research study using co-design and participatory methods, from qualitative, quantitative and cost-related perspectives. WP1 includes a national, cross-sectional survey on VHGC provision across the UK. In WP2 we will engage patients and general practice staff in co-design workshops to develop VHGC models with emphasis on digital inclusion and equity. In WP3 we will carry out a mixed-methods process evaluation in up to 10 GP practices across England (5 sites already running VHGCs and 5 comparison sites). Qualitative methods will include interviews, focus groups and ethnographic observation to examine the experiences of patients, carers, clinical and non-clinical NHS staff, commissioners and policy-makers. Quantitative methods will examine the impact of VHGCs on healthcare utilisation in primary and secondary care, patient satisfaction, engagement and activation. We will also assess value for money of group and individual care models from a health economics perspective. We aim to develop transferable learning on sociotechnical change in healthcare delivery, using VHGCs as an exemplar of technology-supported innovation. Findings will also inform the design of a future study.

Minimize Mental Workload and Fatigue of Horizontal Directional Drilling Worker Using Rating Scale Mental Effort and Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory Methods.

Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) is a drilling technique that does not damage the groundsurface; the HDD process involves a stage that requires high concentration and physical skills and isoften carried out in challenging working conditions, causing mental Workload and fatigue in HDDworkers. HDD workers should be given improvements in their work methods to be safe whenworking due to being too tired or losing focus. HDDs must be monitored in real-time, which requiresworkers to get good results without errors so that workers experience workload pressure andmental fatigue. This study aims to measure and minimize mental Workload and fatigue in HDDworkers and determine improvement proposals based on the why-why diagram. Mental workloadmeasurement using the RSME method and fatigue using SOFI and why diagrams are used to findcause and effect in mental Workload and fatigue experienced by HDD workers. Based on the analysisof RSME, the scale value obtained based on six indicators of WL, WD, WP, WME, WA, and WF is 92.05,which is in the category of enormous business carried out, and the KiK indicator or fatigue gets thehighest scale value of 106.52 with the business category given is very large so that HDD workersexperience a mental workload. Mental workload and fatigue correlate. Based on the results of SOFI,the sleepiness dimension received a score of 21.83 with a high level of fatigue category. Therefore,the proposed improvement to the causal results of the Why Diagram is adding the workforce,adjusting work shifts, and monitoring and evaluating HDD workers.

Detrimental Impact of Abusive Leadership on Employee Mental Health, Psychological Wellbeing, and Presenteeism in Chinese Entrepreneurial Organizations

Objectives: Employees are the main working force of every organization and their well-being is important for the productivity, performance and growth of the firms. However, the negative behavior of the leaders distorts the healthy employee well-being and causes them to sacrifice their physical and mental well-being and show at work and behave presenteeism. Methods: This study investigated the dark side of abusive leadership in damaging the employees' mental health and psychological well-being and increasing presenteeism behavior. Moreover, the study also investigated the negative mediation of performance pressure and workload pressure in between the direct relationship of abusive leadership with the dependent variables. Results: The study adopted a quantitative research methodology and targeted the employees of the Chinese entrepreneurial enterprise organization from the manufacturing, construction and service sectors using the survey questionnaire approach. The questionnaire approach was incorporated for the data collection using the simple random sampling technique to identify the respondents of this study. Conclusion: The regression analysis revealed heartening results for the employee well-being. The study concluded the results by summarizing the results outcomes and implied the fact that abusive leadership has adverse effects on the employees' mental and psychological well-being and promotes presenteeism and for further deteriorating effects, the performance pressure plays an additional role.

Research and publication at crossroads

Writing and publishing scientific and rigorous work needs a high level of integrity and adherence to ethical guidelines. Several publications have been rejected by authentic journals as a result of not adhering to a deontological standpoint. This laxity has posed deadly repercussions to the beholder including ruining its institutional image in academic scholarship. Notwithstanding, numerous writers are acquainted with the consequences of not observing ethical standards in research and publication, yet in trying to put up their pieces of work get caught in the same quandary. Anchored on a thematically oriented review of literature, it was imperative to try to explain the key ethical misconduct bases in research and publication. To fulfil this quest many journal articles were analysed. It was found that numerous aspects form the basis for misconduct in research and publication including; the pressure to ‘publish or perish’, the limitation of mentorship and guidance programs, knowledge on research and publication, promotion and academic advancement, competition among colleagues, workload pressure, financial motives, pressure from individual morality, and the challenge of research culture. Consequently, it is imperative to note that to publish a scholarly piece of work, adhering to ethical standards is non-negotiable.

Exploring the causes, consequences, and solutions of Chinese EFL teachers' psychological ill‐being: A qualitative investigation

AbstractTeachers' psycho‐affective states are considerably reported to play a vital role in English as a foreign language (EFL) education. However, the overall mechanism, realization, and representation of teachers' psychological ill‐being (PIB) have been widely kept under the shadow of well‐being. To fill this gap, this qualitative investigation examined 46 Chinese EFL teachers' perceptions about the causes, outcomes and solutions of PIB. The results of thematic analysis revealed that PIB was caused by different personal, interpersonal, professional, task, student and contextual factors among Chinese EFL teachers. More specifically, ill‐being emerged out of “heavy workload pressure”, “mental and physical exhaustion”, “unrelated tasks to teaching”, “students' classroom behavior and performance”, “unfriendly school climate”, “poor interpersonal relationships with colleagues” and “social and cultural environment”. The findings also indicated that teachers' ill‐being led to different outcomes such as “reducing teaching quality”, “creating negative emotions”, “causing physical and mental health problems”, “leading to burnout” and “hurting students' feeling and learning rate”. To solve this aversive state, the participants suggested different techniques such as “reducing workload”, “learning emotion regulation strategies”, “establishing a positive classroom/school climate”, “offering teacher training courses”, “providing support and facilities for teachers”, “increasing salary” and “reading books”. A discussion of the findings and implications for EFL teachers, teacher educators and policy‐makers is provided to enhance their emotional literacy and competency regarding negative teacher‐related emotions in L2 teaching.

Enhancing the quality of medicine handover at hospital discharge: a priority setting workshop.

When a patient is discharged from hospital it is essential that their general practitioner (GPs) and community pharmacist are informed of changes to their medicines. This necessitates effective communication and information-sharing between hospitals and primary care clinicians. To identify priority medicine handover issues and solutions to inform the co-design and development of a multifaceted intervention. A modified nominal group technique was used to reach consensus on medicine handover priority areas. The first hour of an interactive 2-hr workshop focused on ranking pre-identified issues drawn from literature. In the second hour, participants identified solutions that they then ranked from highest to lowest priority through an online platform. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse workshop data. In total 32 participants attended the workshop including hospital doctors (n = 8, 25.0%), GPs and hospital pharmacists (n = 6 each, 18.8%), consumers and community pharmacists (n = 4 each, 12.5%), and both hospital and aged care facility nurses (n = 2 each 6.3%). From the list of 23 issues, the highest ranked issue was high workload and time pressures impacting the discharge process (22/32). From the list of 36 solutions, the participants identified two solutions that were equally ranked highest (12/27 each). They were mandating that patients leave hospital with a discharge summary, including medication reconciliation information and, developing an integrated information technology system where medication summary and notes are accessible for primary, secondary and tertiary health provider. The consensus process highlighted challenges in hospital procedures where potential solutions may be implemented through co-design of a multifaceted intervention to improve medicine handover quality.

Cancer Nurses’ Voices and Recommendations to Address Workforce Challenges: A Qualitative Analysis

ObjectivesAmidst the fulfilment of making a positive impact on patients’ lives, cancer nurses also contend with high workloads, limited resources, and barriers to career advancement. Understanding the perceptions of cancer nurses is essential in addressing these challenges and fostering an environment that promotes both professional satisfaction and optimal patient care.Our aim was to explore Australian cancer nurses' experiences and perspectives of workforce challenges and their proposed solutions to address them. MethodsThe Cancer Nurses Society Australia workforce cross-sectional survey was distributed online in 2022 through professional networks and social media. Free text responses to open-ended questions were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and inductive processes. ResultsResponses from 601 cancer nurses highlight the intricate interplay between rewards and obstacles experienced by the profession and identify key areas for improvement. Positive and negative quotes highlight the passion of cancer nurses which were summarized into themes and subthemes:1) Finding fulfilment while struggling against the tide. While feeling undervalued and facing workload pressures, burnout and limited opportunities for career progression, nurses express love for their jobs, finding it rewarding yet emotionally challenging.2) Grassroots solutions versus organizational inertia. Proposed solutions included addressing nurse-to-patient ratios, proactive succession planning, more specific education, dedicated time for learning, and mentorship and career development programs. Perceived barriers to initiatives included lethargic management and resistance to change. Networking opportunities, appropriate remuneration, and interdisciplinary teamwork with an appreciation of individual expertise are desired. ConclusionsOur findings give a voice to the cancer nurses of Australia. Nurses identified a range of solutions to address workforce challenges. Implications for nursing practiceAddressing the systemic issues that contribute to high workload and impede nurses’ well-being and their recognition, and promoting policies to support professional growth will increase satisfaction, enhance patient care outcomes, and contribute to a sustainable workforce.

Staffing and Workload in Primary Care Facilities of Selected Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Communities in the Philippines.

Staffing shortages and health inequities are persistent barriers in the Philippines toward achieving universal health care. To ensure an adequate and responsive health workforce, there is a need to evaluate the Human Resources for Health (HRH) status across health facilities, particularly those in underserved communities. Hence, this study aims to determine the staffing requirements and workload pressure among primary care facilities in selected geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) in the Philippines. The study utilized the workload indicators of staffing need (WISN) methodology from the World Health Organization to determine the staffing and workload situation among three health worker cadres (physicians, nurses, and midwives) in the study sites. Particularly, six primary care facilities (four rural health units and two community hospitals) located in Surigao del Norte were involved in the study. WISN-related data (health service statistics, available working time, and health professionals' workload components) were collected through records review, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The WISN software was used to analyze the staffing levels and workload pressure in the selected facilities. A total of 40 health workers, including physicians (n = 5, 13%), nurses (n = 21, 52%), and midwives (n = 14, 35%) participated in the study. The findings noted varying levels of staffing and workload pressures among the three cadres in selected primary care facilities, which were influenced by several factors. Particularly, health facilities with additional human resources obtained from deployment programs indicated adequate staffing and low to normal workload pressures. However, further analysis revealed potential HRH maldistribution and reliance on the temporary nature of the staff augmentation program in delivering primary care services, which need to be addressed to optimize health workforce planning. Service workload may also have been impacted by the temporary closure of health facilities due to disasters. Among the few cadres that reported staffing shortage and high workload pressure, these were due to higher service demands, increased task delegation, and inadequate service coordination. Hence, context-specific challenges and situational factors in GIDAs need to be considered when determining the staffing and workload requirements. There is a need to improve the capacities of health facilities and local government units (LGUs) to engage in evidence-based HRH planning through the WISN methodology. Doing so could improve staffing and workload distribution among health care facilities in the country. Moreover, interorganizational collaboration (DOH, LGUs, and health facilities) should be strengthened to improve delineation and prevent duplication/omission of health services, rationalize HRH distribution and augmentation, and streamline the priority health services based on the local contextual factors.