Factors affecting the quality of work-life of nurses: a correlational study

The effectiveness of communication skills training on professional performance and quality of work life of pre-hospital emergency medical staff: An experimental study in Iran

AIM

Communication skills are one of the components that influence the performance of pre-hospital emergency staff who provide services to patients. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of communication skills training on the professional performance and quality of work life of pre-hospital emergency staff.

METHODS

This experimental study with pretest-posttest design was conducted on 150 pre-hospital emergency staff in Iran from March 2022 to May 2023. The participants were randomly assigned into two control (n = 75) and experimental (n = 75) groups. The intervention included 4 sessions (3 h each) of communication skills training, weekly. The data gathering scales were Stamm's quality of work life questionnaire and Patterson's job performance questionnaire, which were used at start point, 4 and 8 weeks after that.

RESULTS

The mean score professional performance in experimental group increased significantly to 42.4 ± 0.70 in the second stage and to 44.5 ± 0.55 in the third stage (P < 0.05). The mean score of the quality of work life was also 96.9 ± 0.9 and 99.8 ± 0.9 in the 4th and 8th weeks after the intervention, which was significantly more than control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed the communication skills training improves professional performance and increases the quality of work life of pre-hospital emergency staff.

Factor Affecting the Quality of Work Life Among Nurses: A Systematic Review

Objective

This literature review evaluates the factors that affect nurses' quality of work life with the goal of enhancing their overall well-being, work experience, and creating a more supportive and satisfying work environment in the nursing field.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Electronic databases including Scopus, PubMed, SAGE Journal, and Springer were searched for scientific articles on the quality of work life among nurses. After screening and removal of duplicates, we analyzed the full text of the articles to identify potentially relevant studies for eligibility, and then we extracted data from the articles that matched.

Results

The search of the literature resulted in 68 articles. Only 20 articles that met all inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review after full text review.

Conclusion

The literature indicates that nurses' work life quality is affected by three primary factors: personal (socio-demographic), occupational, and psychological. Identifying the factors is critical to finding the right solution for improving work life quality and overcoming factors that decrease nurses' work life quality.

Work alienation and quality of work life among nurses: A descriptive cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Work alienation in nursing can create various problems that affect the quality of work life of nurses, which should be addressed from different perspectives.

AIMS

This study investigated the relationship between work alienation and the quality of work life, aiming to determine the factors affecting nurses' quality of work life.

DESIGN

This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study that used the STROBE guidelines to prepare this study report.

METHODS

The study was conducted between March and June 2022 in Turkey with 303 nurses. It used an online questionnaire with a simple random sampling. Data were collected using a descriptive characteristics form, the Work Alienation Scale, and the Quality of Nursing Work Life Scale. The data were analyzed with Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS

There was a significant negative correlation between work alienation and the quality of work life. Four independent variables with 58.2% impact on the nurses' quality of work life were identified, including participation in the decision-making process, the ability to use initiative during the production of the service, the significance of the work for the individual, and the type of institution.

CONCLUSIONS

The nurses' work alienation score was moderate, and their quality of work life score was high. An increase in the feeling of work alienation statistically decreased the quality of work life.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY

Nurses who experience work alienation may face a decline in their quality of work life that may have an adverse effect on their work performance and work satisfaction.