A meta-analytic study of subjective career plateaus

Factors associated with clinical nurse's mental health: a qualitative study applying the social ecological model

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of burnout, depression, and anxiety among Chinese nurses was 34%, 55.5%, and 41.8% respectively. Mental health problems have significant impacts on their personal well-being, work performance, patient care quality, and the overall healthcare system. Mental health is influenced by factors at multiple levels and their interactions.

METHODS

This was a descriptive qualitative study using phenomenological approach. We recruited a total of 48 nurses from a tertiary hospital in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. Data were collected through focus group interviews. Audio-recorded data were transcribed and inductively analysed.

RESULTS

Four major themes with 13 subthemes were identified according to the social ecological model: (1) individual-level factors, including personality traits, sleep quality, workplace adaptability, and years of work experience; (2) interpersonal-level factors, encompassing interpersonal support and role conflict; (3) organization-level factors, such as organizational climate, organizational support, career plateau, and job control; and (4) social-level factors, which included compensation packages, social status, and legislative provision and policy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted factors influencing nurses' mental health. Recognizing the interconnectedness of individual, interpersonal, organizational, and social elements is essential for developing targeted interventions and comprehensive strategies to promote and safeguard the mental well-being of nurses in clinical settings.

TRIAL AND PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

The larger study was registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2300072142 (05/06/2023) https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=192676 .

REPORTING METHOD

This study is reported according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).

The Impact of Career Plateaus on Job Performance: The Roles of Organizational Justice and Positive Psychological Capital

Previous studies suggest that career plateaus have detrimental effects on employees' satisfaction and performance. Psychological distress generated by career plateaus hinders organizations from achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) of 'health and well-being at work' (SDG-3) and 'decent work' (SDG-8). How to mitigate the negative impact of career plateaus becomes the key to enhancing sustainable well-being at work. However, the influencing mechanisms of career plateaus have not been fully discussed, especially regarding employees' psychological processes. Drawing on the equity theory and the conservation of resource theory, this study examines the influence mechanism of career plateaus on employee job performance via organizational justice, with positive psychological capital moderating the process. Mplus and the Process macro for SPSS are adopted to conduct confirmatory factor analysis and regression analyses. Building on 368 supervisor-employee paired questionnaires with an average of eight employees per supervisor, empirical results indicate that employees who encounter career plateaus reduce their perceived organizational justice to discourage them from performing well in their jobs. Positive psychological capital, however, mitigates the negative effects of career plateaus on perceived organizational justice and the indirect effects of career plateaus on job performance through organizational justice. Theoretically, this study advances our understanding of the influence mechanism of career plateaus on employees' job performance. Practical implications are also drawn for organizations to alleviate the negative impact of career plateaus to promote sustainable well-being at work.