Investigating the work-life experiences of nursing faculty in Canadian academic settings and the factors that influence their retention: protocol for a mixed-method study

Exploring workaholism determinants and life balance: A mixed-method study among academic nurse educators

BACKGROUND

Academic nurse educators play a crucial role in the educational environment, but the demands of their profession can lead to workaholism, which could result in an imbalance between work and personal life.

PURPOSE

The study aimed to explore workaholism and life balance among academic nursing educators, as well as investigate the factors associated with workaholism.

METHODS

A mixed-methods design based on the "concurrent triangulation" approach was employed. A convenience sample of 76 nurse educators completed the Dutch Work Addiction Scale (DUWAS) and the Life Balance Inventory (LBI), while a purposive sample of 20 nurse educators participated in semi-structured interviews. Inferential statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

The researchers found a notable prevalence of workaholism among nurse educators, with 59.0 % reporting a mean score above 2.5 and 86.8 % perceiving an unbalanced life. Regression analysis indicated that workaholism negatively predicted life balance (B = -0.404, p < 0.001). The qualitative findings derived three themes as determinants of workaholism: antecedents, consequences, personal and institutional strategies to mitigate workaholism among nursing educators.

CONCLUSION

Educational institutions should develop comprehensive approaches to support and develop their academicians, fostering a positive work environment, work-life balance, employee well-being, and professional development.

Predictors of Nursing Faculty Job and Career Satisfaction, Turnover Intentions, and Professional Outlook: A National Survey

BACKGROUND

Retaining talented and experienced nurses in clinical practice and academia is crucial for maintaining continuity, ensuring high-quality care and education, and fostering a positive work environment. Although factors influencing nursing staff retention are well documented, little is known about how workplace factors impact nursing faculty retention outcomes.

METHODS

A national survey involving 645 nursing faculty across Canada was undertaken. Multivariate regression analysis with interaction effects was conducted to determine the association between work-related factors (i.e., workplace culture and work-life imbalance) and faculty job and career satisfaction, turnover intentions, and professional outlook.

RESULTS

Supportive workplace culture positively influenced faculty job and career satisfaction and professional outlook, while it negatively impacted turnover intentions. Conversely, work-life imbalance decreased faculty job and career satisfaction and professional outlook (i.e., confidence in nursing program, profession), and it increased intentions to leave the job.

CONCLUSION

Our results offer insights into the work-life experiences of Canadian faculty members and shed light on key factors that impact their job-related outcomes. In the context of competing resources, every effort must be made to improve modifiable workplace factors such as the academic work environment and create targeted interventions and policies to promote faculty retention.

Pressures in the Ivory Tower: An Empirical Study of Burnout Scores among Nursing Faculty

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated incidents of burnout among academics in various fields and disciplines. Although burnout has been the subject of extensive research, few studies have focused on nursing faculty. This study aimed to investigate the differences in burnout scores among nursing faculty members in Canada. (2) Method: Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, data were collected via an online survey in summer 2021 using the Maslach Burnout Inventory general survey and analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. (3) Result: Faculty members (n = 645) with full-time employment status, worked more than 45 h, and taught 3-4 courses reported high burnout (score ≥ 3) compared to those teaching 1-2 courses. Although education levels, tenure status or rank, being on a graduate committee, or the percentage of hours dedicated to research and services were considered important personal and contextual factors, they were not associated with burnout. (4) Conclusions: Findings suggest that burnout manifests differently among faculty and at varying degrees. As such, targeted approaches based on individual and workload characteristics should be employed to address burnout and build resilience among faculty to improve retention and sustain the workforce.

Where are nurse-scientists? academic nursing research at critical crossroads

BACKGROUND

Academic nursing research is at a critical impasse after the great retirement and resignation during COVID-19. Sustaining and replenishing senior nurse-scientist faculty that are clinical experts with real-world clinical practice is critical. Leveraging the mission of nursing scholarship within the business of building and sustaining externally funded research enterprises in schools of nursing presents conundrums, especially with persistent nursing faculty vacancies.

PURPOSE AND METHODS

Through a lens of intersectionality within the context of academic bias and nursing education regulation, we address challenges in NIH funding for nurse-scientist faculty. Publicly available data reveal equity, inclusion, and advancement issues that make it an unequal playing field for nurse-scientist faculty if expected to achieve similar NIH funding as faculty in schools of public health and medicine.

DISCUSSION

Understanding research enterprises requires appreciation of the complex interplay between academic nursing units, university infrastructures, and academic budgetary models. Creative support for both nursing deans and their faculty is needed.

Striking a Balance between Work and Play: The Effects of Work-Life Interference and Burnout on Faculty Turnover Intentions and Career Satisfaction

BACKGROUND

The interactions between work and personal life are important for ensuring well-being, especially during COVID-19 where the lines between work and home are blurred. Work-life interference/imbalance can result in work-related burnout, which has been shown to have negative effects on faculty members' physical and psychological health. Although our understanding of burnout has advanced considerably in recent years, little is known about the effects of burnout on nursing faculty turnover intentions and career satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE

To test a hypothesized model examining the effects of work-life interference on nursing faculty burnout (emotional exhaustion and cynicism), turnover intentions and, ultimately, career satisfaction.

DESIGN

A predictive cross-sectional design was used.

SETTINGS

An online national survey of nursing faculty members was administered throughout Canada in summer 2021.

PARTICIPANTS

Nursing faculty who held full-time or part-time positions in Canadian academic settings were invited via email to participate in the study.

METHODS

Data were collected from an anonymous survey housed on Qualtrics. Descriptive statistics and reliability estimates were computed. The hypothesized model was tested using structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Data suggest that work-life interference significantly increases burnout which contributes to both higher turnover intentions and lower career satisfaction. Turnover intentions, in turn, decrease career satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings add to the growing body of literature linking burnout to turnover and dissatisfaction, highlighting key antecedents and/or drivers of burnout among nurse academics. These results provide suggestions for suitable areas for the development of interventions and policies within the organizational structure to reduce the risk of burnout during and post-COVID-19 and improve faculty retention.