Critical analysis of nurses' labour market effectiveness in Canada: The hidden aspects of the shortage

Experiences of internationally educated nurses working with older adults: A scoping review protocol

BACKGROUND

Canada, like many other jurisdictions worldwide, is facing a nursing shortage. At the same time, high-income countries are facing a rapidly ageing and more complex older adult population. Demands for more responsive health care services are driving systems of care to meet the evolving needs of the ageing population. Internationally-educated nurses (IENs) can help fill gaps in the care of older adults, but may need considerable support to work in new social and health care environments. However, the experiences of IENs within the geriatric care literature have not been comprehensively reviewed. This protocol will outline a scoping review to determine: (1) what is known about the experiences and support needs of IENs in geriatric healthcare settings within high income countries? (2) what are current supportive-pathways for IENs in geriatric practice settings? And (3) what are the research gaps in the existing literature on the experiences and support needs of IENs within the context of geriatrics?

METHODS

A scoping review will be conducted guided by the methodological framework set out by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and later advanced by Levac, Colquhoun and O'Brien (2010). The search strategy will be applied to seven databases (MEDLINE, PubMed (non-MEDLINE records), PsycINFO, PsychArticles, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science). Grey literature will be searched using Google search engines, targeted websites and consultation with content experts. Articles of any publication date will be included. A two-stage screening process will be conducted in duplicate (i.e., two reviewers per stage) to determine eligible articles. Data from eligible articles will be extracted using a piloted charting form. Extracted data will be analyzed using thematic and descriptive analyses.

DISCUSSION

The findings of the upcoming will highlight opportunities and recommendations to inform future research and support training to support IENs working with older adults within high income countries. Publication, presentations and stakeholder meetings will disseminate our findings.

Perceived strategies for reducing staff-turnover and improving well-being and retention among professional caregivers in Alberta's continuing-care facilities: A qualitative study

This qualitative study explored potential factors that lead to turnover and absenteeism and how to improve well-being and retention among professional older-adult-caregivers in Alberta's assisted living (AL) and long-term care (LTC) facilities. Four hundred and forty-seven participants aged 45-54 years were interviewed through a five-item, content-validated open-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire was self-administered in the English language and the soft copy of their responses was transferred into NVIVO version 12 software for coding. A thematic narrative analysis grounded in the "happy productive worker" theory was completed. The main themes were caregivers' perception of the factors affecting their well-being, absenteeism, and turnover, and caregivers' suggestions on ways to improve their well-being and retention. Participants reported that their professional well-being was suboptimal. They suggested that their employers should provide them with the needed social, psychological, and professional support, improve wages and hire more staff to ameliorate absenteeism and turnover rates.

Well-being of professional older adults' caregivers in Alberta's assisted living and long-term care facilities: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

For the care need of older adults, long-term care (LTC) and assisted living (AL) facilities are expanding in Alberta, but little is known about the caregivers' well-being. The purpose of the study was to investigate the physical health conditions, mental and emotional health (MEH), health behaviour, stress levels, quality of life (QOL), and turnover and absenteeism (TAA) among professional caregivers in Alberta's LTC and AL facilities.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey involved 933 conveniently selected caregivers working in Alberta's LTC and AL facilities. Standardised questions were selected from the Canadian Community Health Survey, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Short Form-36 QOL survey revalidated and administered to the participants. The new questionnaire was used to assess the caregivers' general health condition (GHC), physical health, health behaviour, stress level, QOL, and TAA. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha, Pearson's correlation, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

Of 1385 surveys sent to 39 facilities, 933 valid responses were received (response rate = 67.4%). The majority of the caregivers were females (90.8%) who were ≥ 35 years (73.6%), worked between 20 to 40 h weekly (67.3%), and were satisfied with their GHC (68.1%). The Registered Nurses had better GHC (mean difference [MD] = 0.18, p = 0.004) and higher TAA than the Health Care Aides (MD = 0.24, p = 0.005). There were correlations between caregivers' TAA and each of MEH (r = 0.398), QOL (r = 0.308), and stress (r = 0.251); p < 0.001. The most significant predictors of TAA were the propensity to quit a workplace or the profession, illness, job stress, and work-related injury, F (5, 551) = 76.62, p < 0.001, adjusted R² = 0.998.

CONCLUSION

Reducing the caregivers' job stressors such as work overload, inflexible schedule, and poor remuneration, and improving their quality of life, health behaviour, and mental, emotional, and physical health conditions may increase their job satisfaction and reduce turnover and absenteeism.

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

Aims and objectives

This 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.

Design

A cross‐sectional descriptive survey was conducted with Licensed Practical Nurses in Alberta, Canada.

Methods

The 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.

Results

Overall, 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.

Strategy to stay ahead of the curve: A concept analysis of talent management

AIM

The development of nurse leaders is critical to the future of the nursing profession. Strategies to address the current loss of nurse leaders are urgently needed. The aim of this analysis is to clarify the concept of talent management as an approach by which organizations can identify, strengthen, and support emerging and current nurse leaders.

BACKGROUND

The nursing profession worldwide is experiencing a shortage of nurse leaders. As nursing leaders are retiring, too few nurses are prepared to replace them. Nursing leadership is vital to effectively navigate healthcare system challenges and improve patient outcomes. Talent management moves beyond succession planning to attract, develop, and retain nursing leaders.

DESIGN

Walker and Avant's model is used for concept analysis.

DATA SOURCE

A literature search was accomplished using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, MEDLINE, PubMed, Business Source Premier, Canadian Major Dailies, and Management and Organization Studies.

REVIEW METHODS

Keywords: talent management, succession planning, succession management, nursing, nursing leader, leadership, administration, and executive.

RESULTS

Definitions for the concept of talent management are elusive in both the business and nursing literature. There is a lack of clarity with regard to the definition of talent management.

CONCLUSION

The critical attributes for talent management of nursing leadership are the identification of emerging nurse leaders and engaging them in the development of their leadership competencies. The use of this concept analysis for talent management will enhance and facilitate the stability of nursing leadership positions in today's healthcare organizations.