Attitudes about work engagement of different generations-A cross-sectional study with nurses and supervisors

Exploring the relationship between spiritual care and patient advocacy of nurses from generations X, Y and Z working in intensive care clinics: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the relationship between spiritual care and patient advocacy across three generations of nurses working in intensive care units.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

Data collection took place from July to August 2022 with 120 nurses in Turkey. Data collection tools included the Spiritual Caregiving Competency Scale, the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Assessment Scale, and the Patient Advocacy Scale for Nurses. Data on nurses' demographics were evaluated using descriptive statistical methods (number, percentage, mean, standard deviation). Independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and linear multiple regression analysis were used to evaluate the relationships between variables, with results reported as 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

More than half of the nurses were from Generation Y (39.2 %) and Generation Z (42.5 %). Generation Z's mean patient advocacy score (156.96 ± 23.16) was statistically significantly higher than Generation X's (139.32 ± 34.26). We determined that the spiritual competence scale communication sub-dimension score of Generation Y nurses working between 1-10 years was higher than that of Generation Z nurses. Additionally, as the patient advocacy scores of all generations increased, so did spiritual competence scores.

CONCLUSION

The study found differences in patient advocacy and spiritual care competencies between generations. Thus, we recommend organizing courses, seminars, and in-service training on patient advocacy and spiritual care for intensive care nurses.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study estimates nurses' spiritual care competencies and patient advocacy levels from different generations and sheds light on the literature to eliminate differences in care between generations in nursing practices that evolve and change over time. It is recommended that courses, seminars, in-service training, spiritual activities, and interactive meetings be organized to encourage the participation of intensive care nurses to minimize the differences in spiritual care and patient advocacy among all generations of intensive care nurses.

Relationship between nurses' mood at work and work engagement: Work morale as a mediator

AIM

To determine the effect of nurses' mood at work (positive and negative) on work engagement and whether work morale mediates this relationship.

BACKGROUND

Nurses' work engagement is a key research area, yet limited data regarding the relationship between nurses' mood at work and work engagement are available. Therefore, how nurses' positive or negative mood at work affects their work engagement remains unclear.

METHODS

This study analyzed nurses from a medical center in Taipei City. A total of 279 completed questionnaires were returned. The data were analyzed using two-stage structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized relationships.

FINDINGS

Nurses' positive mood had a significantly positive effect on work morale, whereas their negative mood had a significantly negative effect on work morale. Additionally, work morale played a mediating role in the relationship between mood at work and work engagement.

CONCLUSION

The results revealed that nurses' moods affected their work engagement and that this relationship was affected by work morale.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY

Healthcare institutions and hospitals could develop a positive work environment to help nurses maintain their good mood and reduce negative affectivity. They should also provide nurses with counseling services, offer morale-boosting activities, and adopt an inspirational leadership style to maintain their work morale.

Project ECHO®: a global cross-sectional examination of implementation success

BACKGROUND

Organizations implement innovations to disrupt the status quo and create value. Within sectors such as healthcare, innovations need to navigate large scale system and organizational factors to succeed. This research explores the implementation of a global innovation- Project ECHO®. Project ECHO® is a validated virtual communities of practice model organizational teams implement to build workforce capacity and capability. Project ECHO® has experienced broad global adoption, particularly within the healthcare sector, and is experiencing growth across other sectors. This study sought to examine the state of implementation success for Project ECHO® globally, to understand how these implementations compare across geographic and sectoral contexts, and understand what enablers/barriers exist for organizational teams implementing the innovation.

METHODS

An empirical study was conducted to collect data on 54 Project ECHO® implementation success indicators across an international sample. An online survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to all Project ECHO® hub organizations globally to collect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

The 54 implementation success indicators measured in this survey revealed that the adoption of Project ECHO® across 13 organizations varied on a case-by-case basis, with a strong rate of adoption within the healthcare sector. Implementation teams from these organizations successfully implemented Project ECHO® within 12-18 months after completing Immersion partner launch training and operated 51 ECHO® Networks at the time of data collection. Implementation teams which liaised more regularly with ECHO® Superhub mentors often went on to launch a higher number of ECHO® Networks that were sustained over the longer term. This suggests that these implementation teams better aligned and consolidated their Project ECHO® pilots as new innovations within the local context and strategic organizational priorities. Access to research and evaluation capability, and a more automated digital client relationship management system were key limitations to showcasing implementation success outcomes experienced by the majority of implementation teams.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings make a valuable contribution to address a knowledge gap regarding how a global sample of organizations adopting Project ECHO® measured and reported their implementation successes. Key successes included pre-launch experimentation and expansion, Superhub mentorship, stakeholder engagement, and alignment to strategic priorities.

Innovative leadership characteristics of Generation X and Y nurses: A cross-sectional study

The study aimed to identify the innovative leadership qualities of Generation X and Y nurses and explore factors affecting these qualities in both generations. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 324 teaching and research hospital nurses. Data were gathered using a Personal Information Form and the Innovative Leadership Scale from October 2021 to March 2022. Descriptive statistics were applied, followed by Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H tests, and multiple linear regression. Of the nurses, 34% were Generation X, while 66% were Generation Y. Both Generation X and Y nurses exhibited high scores of innovative leadership, with no significant difference in their overall scale scores. Generation X nurses scored higher on average in the subscales of being entrepreneur, motivating others, and being energetic. In contrast, Generation Y nurses excelled in being open to new ideas and being a changemaker. The factors influencing nurses' innovative leadership qualities included their educational level, position, work clinic, clinical experience, shift type, and perception of themselves as leaders. These results suggest that nurses from both generations manifest differing innovative leadership qualities.

Using Innovation in Credentialing to Foster Meaningful Transitions to Practice and Support Continuing Professional Development

Certification within specialized areas in nursing has long been an avenue by which nurses demonstrate competence and dedication toward professional development. Because of innovation within the credentialing arena, certification also can serve as an avenue that supports nursing professional development practitioners who are assisting nurses transitioning into new roles or new practices. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(9):413-420.].

Nurses' Attitudes and Factors Affecting Use of Electronic Health Record in Saudi Arabia

(1) Background: Nurses' attitudes toward electronic health records (EHRs) is a very valuable issue that needs to be evaluated, understood, and considered one of the main factors that can lead to its improvement or handicap its implementation. This study aimed to assess nurses' attitudes toward EHRs and associated factors that affect the implementation of EHRs in different hospitals in Saudi Arabia. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was utilized to collect data from 297 nurses working in public hospitals and primary healthcare centers in Ha'il Province from January to May 2023. Data were collected using the Nurses' Attitudes Towards Computerization questionnaire and a sociodemographic and work-related characteristics sheet. (3) Results: Most of the participants' attitude scores (81.1%, n = 241) were more than or equal to 60, representing positive attitudes, whereas 18.9% (n = 56) of the nurses' scores were less than 60, which is interpreted as negative attitudes. There was a significant relationship between nurses' attitudes toward EHRs and a participants' sex, where males had a more positive attitude than females (p < 0.001). Particularly, young nurses and those who had previous computer experience had a more positive attitude than older nurses and those who had no computer experience (p = 0.044 and < 0.001, respectively). Saudi nurses holding a master's degree had significantly more positive attitudes toward EHRs than non-Saudi nurses holding a bachelor's or diploma degree (p = 0.007 and 0.048, respectively). Nurses with less experience (less than five years) in the nursing field had a significantly positive attitude. Multiple linear regression showed that sex (p = 0.038), level of education (p = 0.001), and previous computer experience (p < 0.001) were independent factors of nurses' knowledge of EHRs. (4) Conclusion: The majority of nurses had positive overall attitudes toward using EHRs. Nurses who are Saudi nationals, male, younger, have previous computer experience, and have less than five years of experience had a more positive attitude toward EHRs than nurses who are non-Saudi, female, older, have no computer experience, have bachelor's or diploma degree, and have less than five years of experience, respectively. Sex, education level, and previous computer experience were independent factors of nurses' knowledge of EHRs.

Personal and Job-Related Factors Influencing the Work Engagement of Hospital Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia

This study explored the levels of work engagement and identified whether personal and job-related factors influenced the work engagement dimensions of vigor, dedication, and absorption of nurses working in a Saudi hospital. A descriptive, cross-sectional correlational survey of nurses in inpatient wards (general medical, surgical, and specialized wards) and critical care units in a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia, using The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Using a self-report questionnaire, 426 staff nurses and 34 first-line nurse managers were surveyed. Data collected consisted of selected personal and professional factors, including gender, age, education, current work setting, years of experience, nationality, and participation in committees, and/or work teams alongside the 17-item version of the UWES. The study participants showed high levels of work engagement. Age, years of experience, and participation in committees were significantly associated with work engagement. Nurses who were older, possessed more experience, and participated in committees showed higher levels of engagement. Healthcare organizations and their leaders, policymakers, and strategic planners should create a conducive work environment that supports the work engagement of nurses by considering the influencing antecedents. The nursing profession, patients' safety issues, and vital economic problems are the fundamental issues facilitated by the creation of practice environments that entirely engage nurses in their work.

Memories of nursing in Singapore - an oral history approach

Background

Documentation of the voices of nurses provided valuable insight and a greater understanding of the nursing experience in Singapore.

Aim

To record nurses' experiences of journey of nursing profession in the acute care setting in Singapore from the early days of formalisation of nursing education to today's practice as a profession with various specialisation and career tracks.

Method

An oral history research approach was adopted, with purposive and snowball sampling to recruit nurses (both current and retired) who had trained in Singapore from 1956 which marked the beginning of the founding of the School of Nursing to current. Interviews were conducted with an interview guide. Thematic analysis was utilised to analyse the audio-recorded data.

Results

The 54 participants with a range of 10-54 years of nursing experience were interviewed and they completed their nursing training between 1952 and 2006. Four themes were generated: essence of nursing, inevitable changes across nursing profession, resilience and future outlook in nursing.

Conclusions

Understanding the experiences of these nurses generated an in-depth understanding of the personal, social and historical events that were at play in fostering today's nursing practice. With the evolution of the roles in nursing, compassion in current practice needs to be re-evaluated. Continuous learning is essential to meet the needs of the changing healthcare landscape.

A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Personal and Professional Resources on Nurses' Work Engagement: A Comparison of Early-Career and Mid-Later-Career Nurses

To predict and ensure a healthy and high-performing nursing workforce, it is necessary to identify the antecedents that promote work engagement, especially among early-career nurses. To date no study has focused on this. This longitudinal survey, administered to 1204 nurses working in seven general hospitals with 200 or more beds in four prefectures in Japan at two different times in 2019, aims to examine the causal relationship between the personal and professional resources for nurses to work vigorously (PPR-N) and work engagement among nurses in the early stages of their careers, considering time as a key mediating factor. The analysis of structural equation modeling using the cross-lagged effect model supported that PPR-N had significant and positive effects on work engagement after 3 months among early-career nurses with less than 10 years of nursing experience. The PPR-N is a reliable antecedent of work engagement, which is typical of early-career nurses. These results may be provided guidance for managers in overseeing the work environment to ensure a thriving sustainable nursing workforce.

Attentes du personnel infirmier de la relève envers l’employeur pour favoriser l’engagement professionnel : un premier jalon pour la conception d’interventions organisationnelles au Québec (Canada)

Introduction: Poor work conditions jeopardize the quality of nursing jobs and increase turnover and attrition rates, especially for early career nurses and licensed practical nurses. Understanding perspectives of the nursing staff on work engagement is essential to develop innovative and responsive organizational interventions. Objectives: 1- Define the expectations of early career nursing staff with respect to their workplace in order to support work engagement 2- Identify priority actions to support work engagement at organizational level. Methods: A mixed-methods research design based on a conceptual mapping approach was used. Early career nurses and licensed practical nurses (N=14) working in a semi-urban integrated health and social services center in Quebec (Canada) were asked the following question: “What can the workplace do to promote work engagement?” Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis were used to organize the 49 statements provided by the nursing staff. At the same time, participants prioritized actions by rating the “importance” and “probability of a successful implementation” of each statement. Results: Nursing staffs’ expectations toward their workplace in order to support work engagement were: attractive working conditions, positive leadership, safe working conditions, professional development opportunities, and personalized career path. More specifically, the priority actions identified were: showing respect, providing a healthy environment and avoiding transfer to unwanted departments. Discussion and conclusion: The results suggest several actions to promote work engagement of early career nursing staff working in semi-urban settings in Quebec, including providing human and material resources, implementing a positive organizational culture, and exercising benevolent leadership.

The relationship between organizational commitment and work engagement among clinical nurses in China: A cross-sectional study

AIM

This study aims to investigate the levels of organizational commitment and work engagement among clinical nurses in tertiary hospitals and explore the relationship between them.

BACKGROUND

The nursing literature supports the idea that organizational commitment plays an important role in positively influencing job performance. However, the relationship between organizational commitment and work engagement among clinical nurses remains unclear.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study. A convenience sample of clinical nurses (n = 621) was selected from five tertiary hospitals in Sichuan Province of China. Survey instruments included a general information questionnaire about organizational commitment and work engagement. Univariate analysis, correlation analyses and linear regression analysis were used to examine the association between organizational commitment and work engagement.

RESULTS

The mean scores for organizational commitment and work engagement were 3.85 ± 0.59 and 4.58 ± 1.46, respectively. A moderate degree of positive correlation was found between them. Gender, monthly income and retention commitment were significantly associated with work engagement, and they accounted for 39.0% of the total variance.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical nurses had a moderate level of organizational commitment and a high level of work engagement. Organizational commitment positively influenced work engagement; that is, organizational commitment is a significant determinant of nurses' work engagement.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Hospital organizations should focus on assessing and strengthening nurses' organizational commitment to promote increased work engagement and, ultimately, improved quality of care. This may include, but is not limited to, increasing rest time for nurses, implementing a performance appraisal system and focusing on nurses' psychological state.

[Expectations of generation Y for digital health innovations]

BACKGROUND AND AIM

"Generation Y" is the term used to describe younger adults born between approximately 1980 and 2000. The generation is attributed with being digitally savvy and technically adept. It can thus be assumed that there is an increased desire among these people to use digital healthcare innovations when needed. However, the exact expectations in this regard are largely unknown. The aim of this study is to examine the expectations and needs of Generation Y in more detail.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For data collection, five focus group interviews were conducted in April 2021, each with six people between 23 and 36 years of age, with three people per group working in the health sector. The interview material was analyzed using content analysis according to Mayring.

RESULTS

One of the expectations among respondents was to use low-threshold digital healthcare innovations. There was also a great demand for health information. The focus was on increasing efficiency in everyday life, in particular a reduction in the amount of time required. Influences of the corona pandemic on expectations were observed.

DISCUSSION

Three functions of digital applications emerge as particularly relevant: "administration," "tracking," and "information." For these, preference profiles of Generation Y were created. Customized solutions offered by digital innovations could help to implement target-group-specific health promotion and prevention more concretely and generate added value for Generation Y. Since the everyday life of the target group is already characterized by digitization and digital innovations, there is great potential here.

Perceived corporate social responsibility and innovative work behaviour: the role of passion at work

Purpose

Perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) reflects personal views towards CSR activities that impact emotion, attitude and behaviour. This paper aims to investigate how perceived CSR predicts innovative work behaviour (IWB).

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a survey questionnaire to collect data from Gen Y 508 nurses working in the United Arab Emirates health-care sector. This study used a structural equation model to examine the study’s hypotheses.

Findings

Perceived CSR was found positively and significantly related to employees’ passion at work (PAW). This study also found that PAW positively and significantly mediates the relationship between perceived CSR and IWB in the organisation.

Research limitations/implications

This study’s main limitation is that it used only quantitative methodology to examine the hypotheses. Thus, this study suggests mixed-method investigations in future research.

Practical implications

This study suggests that organisations should significantly engage in CSR-related activities, as it increases employees’ PAW and cause IWB to be in full swing. Passionate Gen Y nurses will improve the quality of patient care services with productive, IWB.

Originality/value

The study’s findings give an insight into how Gen Y nurses’ perceptions of CSR would affect their attitudinal and emotional variables. This study contributes to the knowledge domain of IWB in the organisation. Passionate Gen Y nurses will add value to the health-care system by implementing IWB.

State Incentives and Sustainable Motivation System in the Health Sector

Now that the pandemic has entered the second phase, in which countries are adapting to the crisis, governments need to determine incentives that will contribute to the sustainability of the health system and human health. Regarding this, human resources are a significant factor, which affects the sustainability of any system, and it is important to establish a relevant motivation system that will withstand the challenges that society will face in the coming period. The aim of this paper is to analyse three dimensions of state incentives (employment program, COVID-19 bonus, training opportunities) and to examine their influence on healthcare workers’ motivation and the sustainability of the health system in the Republic of Serbia. The empirical research was conducted on a sample of 207 respondents employed in the tertiary level of healthcare. Data analysis included exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). The research results confirmed the existence of all three incentives and indicated that state incentive “training opportunities” has the strongest effect on the motivation of health workers and the sustainability of the healthcare system.

Nurses' generational stereotypes and self-stereotypes: a cognitive study

PURPOSE

The present research offers insights into the generational stereotypical beliefs that different generations of nurses hold about the own and the other generations and the implications on the work floor.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

This cross-sectional, exploratory study employs a cognitive mapping approach known as the repertory grid. The sample consisted of 15 Generation Y, 15 Generation X and 15 Baby Boomer nurses.

FINDINGS

Beliefs of nurses about their own and the other generations direct social categorization and generational stereotypes of the in-group and out groups. These stereotypes mold nurses' beliefs and attitudes towards their coworkers and are enacted leading to self-fulfilling prophecies. Especially Generation Y and Baby Boomer nurses are negatively stereotyped and have their ways to deal with these negative stereotypes.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Nurses and their managers who hold generational stereotypes may unknowingly create cliques within an organization and adopt behaviors and expectations based on generational (self-) stereotypes. The author offers noteworthy insights for fostering intergenerational synergies amongst nurses, which are important since the level of interdependent relations amongst nurses required to provide care.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The present study moves away from the research about the typical characteristics of nurses across the generational workforce. Instead, mental models about how different generations of nurses construe their coworkers belonging to different generations including their own generation are drawn. Employing the repertory grid technique (RGT), an established method for uncovering people's personal and collective belief systems, the present study shows how generational stereotyping and self-stereotyping among nurses belonging to varying generational cohorts occurs and debates its implications.

Age stereotypes towards younger and older colleagues in registered nurses and supervisors in a university hospital: A generic qualitative study

AIM

This study aimed to identify and compare age stereotypes of registered nurses and supervisors in clinical inpatient settings.

DESIGN

Generic qualitative study using half-standardized interviews.

METHOD

Nineteen face-to-face interviews and five focus groups (N = 50) were conducted with nurses of varying levels at a hospital of maximum medical care in Germany between August and November 2018 and were subjected to structured qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Reflecting the ageing process and cooperation in mixed-age teams, nursing staff and supervisors defined similar age stereotypes towards older and younger nurses reminiscent of common generational labels 'Baby Boomers' and Generations X. Their evaluation created an inconsistent and contradictory pattern differing to the respective work context and goals. Age stereotypes were described as both potentially beneficial and detrimental for the individual and the cooperation in the team. If a successfully implemented diversity management focuses age stereotypes, negative assumptions can be reduced and cooperation in mixed-age teams can be considered beneficial.

CONCLUSION

Diversity management as measures against age stereotypes and for mutual acceptance and understanding should include staff from various hierarchical levels of the inpatient setting.

Job satisfaction behind motivation: An empirical study in public health workers

The health sector is characterized as labor-intensive, which means that the effectiveness of an organization that operates within its context is inextricably linked to the level of employee performance. Therefore, an essential condition, in order to achieve higher standards, in terms of the effectiveness of the health units, as well as set the foundations of a solid health system, is to take maximum advantage of the full potential of human resources. This goal can only be accomplished by providing the appropriate incentives, which will naturally cause the adoption of the desired attitude and behavior. In the case of Greece, there is not enough research relative to the needs of health workers and, consequently, the incentives that can motivate them. This article aims to investigate the dynamics that may be behind health workers at a public hospital in Northern Greece. Data were collected from 74 employees in the hospital and were analyzed using ANOVA analysis. The results show that key motivators for the employees can be considered the relationships with their colleagues and the level of achievement, while the level of rewards and job characteristics play a secondary role. These results make it clear that, in order for the hospital's management to be able to improve the level of employee performance, it should ensure the establishment of a strong climate among employees, and also acknowledge the efforts made by them.

Employer Branding in the Context of the Company’s Sustainable Development Strategy from the Perspective of Gender Diversity of Generation Z

Applying the principles of sustainable development is an element of building the image of an organisation as an employer. The opinions of young people commencing their professional career in this regard may prove important for companies. The aim of this article is to identify a dependence between generation Z’s opinions on employer branding measures based on sustainable development taken by companies and the respondents’ gender. The article presents the results of primary research conducted on a sample of 291 students of higher education institutions in Poland. The methods include questionnaire surveys and statistical data processing. The results of the research suggest that sustainable development measures undertaken by employers increase the candidates’ motivation to apply for a job in the organisation. The analysis demonstrated that generation Z’s opinions on sustainable development activities carried out by employers and on the significance of employer branding are dependent on the respondents’ gender. The main conclusion is that women are more ecologically oriented than men, and following a sustainable development strategy is more important for them. Companies building employer branding should consider the adoption of various factors identified in the article, such as the Employee Value Proposition (EVP), especially when their workforce is gender-diverse.