Do multiple personal roles promote working energetically in female nurses? A cross-sectional study of relevant factors promoting work engagement in female nurses

Uneven distribution of stressful working conditions among Japanese nurses: a secondary analysis of nurses with and without children

Supportive measures for employees raising children may have increased workloads on other nurses, causing psychological stress. This study aimed to clarify the differences in working conditions and psychological status among female Japanese nurses based on child-rearing attributes. We used data from 1,600 female nurses at 10 Japanese hospitals collected by the study of the Work Environment for Hospital Nurses in Japan conducted in 2016. The variables included work conditions (number of night shifts per month, daily overtime, number of paid holidays per year, and social support received), psychological status (sense of coherence, emotional exhaustion, and work engagement), and sociodemographic characteristics. An analysis of covariance was performed on the differences between the three groups (without children, with preschool-age children, and with children of other ages groups). The group without children had a relatively higher workload (p<0.01) and lower social support (p<0.01 and p<0.05). Additionally, they had higher emotional exhaustion and lower work engagement (p<0.01). This study confirmed the uneven distribution of work environment by work-life balance measures.

Factors associated with work engagement among specialist nurses in china: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The positive impacts of work engagement among specialist nurses on retention, organizational commitment, and quality of care are well-documented. However, there is a lack of research on the specific differences in work engagement among specialist nurses. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the level of work engagement among specialist nurses in China and identify its influencing factors.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in China from April to July, 2023, with 724 nurses selected from 22 hospitals through convenience sampling involved. The survey was conducted by using self-administered general information questionnaires and work engagement scales. Questionnaire Star was employed as the online data collection tool. The collected data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics and stepwise regression analysis to draw meaningful conclusions from the study.

RESULTS

Among specialist nurses in Xiamen, China, who had a response rate of 97.10%, an average work engagement score is 140.35 (SD=18.17), with the highest score for the work attitude at 4.65 (SD=0.52) and the lowest score for the work recognition at 4.09 (SD=0.85). It was shown through regression analysis that factors such as career satisfaction, involvement in challenging case discussions, marital status, gender, presence of promotion advantage and title accounted for 14.5% of the total variance in the model and were significant explanatory variables that could predict work engagement.

CONCLUSION

It is shown that specialist nurses in Xiamen, China have a high level of work engagement. It is imperative for nursing managers to prioritize the work engagement of specialist nurses, provide the specialist nurses with ample development opportunities and room for growth, and effectively promote the overall development of specialist nurses by improving work engagement in various aspects.

The moderating role of work-to-family spillover in the association between nurses' work values and work engagement: A cross-sectional study

AIM

Although researchers have emphasized the importance of enhancing work engagement in nurses to ensure work-related well-being, the underlying mechanisms of the influencing factors of work engagement remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate whether work-to-family spillover moderates the relationship between nurses' work values and work engagement.

METHODS

In total, 2600 nurses from 52 hospitals in the Tohoku region of Japan were recruited, and 1587 nurses participated. The questionnaire included items on demographic characteristics, the Nurses' Work Values Scale, the Japanese version of the Work-life Balance Scale, and the Work Engagement Scale. Data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression.

RESULTS

The interaction terms of negative work-to-family spillover with extrinsic work values and prestige work values were significantly associated with work engagement. The interaction terms of nurses' work values and positive work-to-family spillovers did not show a significant association.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses who emphasized extrinsic work values and those who did not emphasize prestige work values had the lowest work engagement in settings with high negative work-to-family spillover. To ensure nurses' work-related well-being and engagement, nursing managers could provide support for nurses in tackling work-related negative events, so that these do not carry over to family settings.

Factors related to intensive care unit Nurses' work engagement: A web-based survey

A questionnaire survey on the personal and work factors related to work engagement among intensive care unit nurses concerning their recovery experiences and the nursing practice environment was conducted using a web-based tool. Two individual factors (demographics and experience on recovery from job stress) and four work factors (work employment type, nursing method, COVID-19 nursing experience, and nursing practice environment) were surveyed. Data from 244 participants were obtained, and survey items were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis with work engagement as the dependent variable. The results show that 3-5 years of nursing experience is significantly associated with lower work engagement. Conversely, certifications for higher-level and specialized nursing, mastery experience such as learning new things, 1-9 days/month of COVID-19 nursing experience, and suitable nursing practice environment were significantly associated with higher work engagement. These factors are considered important for improving the work engagement of intensive care unit nurses.

Working Conditions Among Chinese Nurses Employed in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Survey-Based Study

Introduction

Although the number of Chinese nurses employed in Japan is increasing, the situation regarding their work conditions has not been clarified. It is necessary to understand such conditions to consider support for Chinese nurses in Japan.

Objective

This study examined the professional nursing practice environment, occupational career, and work engagement of Chinese nurses in Japan.

Methods

Using a cross-sectional study design, 640 paper questionnaires were mailed to 58 Japanese hospitals that employed Chinese nurses and included a QR code for online responses. A survey request form and URL were sent to the Wechat app, where Chinese nurses in Japan communicate. The contents include attribute-related questions, the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI), Occupational Career Scale, and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Either Wilcoxon's rank-sum or the Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to compare scores of the study variables between subgroups.

Results

A total of 199 valid responses were obtained, of which 92.5% were female, and 69.3% had a university degree or higher. The PES-NWI score was 2.74, and the work engagement score was 3.10. The group with a university degree or higher had significantly lower scores on PES-NWI and work engagement than those with diplomas. Regarding the subscale of occupational career, scores of forming and coordinating interpersonal relationships, self-development, and accumulating a variety of experience were 3.80, 2.58, and 2.71, respectively. The scores were significantly higher with more than 6 years of nursing experience in Japan than those with 0-3 years or 3-6 years.

Conclusion

Most participants had university degrees or higher, and their scores of PES-NWI and work engagement tended to be lower than those with diploma degrees. Participants showed low self-ratings in self-development and lacked a variety of experience. Understanding Chinese nurses' work conditions in Japan enables hospital administrators to develop measures for continuing education and support.

Child-rearing experiences of female nurses working three shifts in South Korea: A qualitative study

AIM

To explore the experience of balancing a career with raising school-aged children and working three shifts and to suggest working environment changes to balance these roles BACKGROUND: Female nurses working three-day shift rotations experience irregular life patterns, parenting conflicts, and confusion over nursing roles.

INTRODUCTION

This qualitative study examined nurses with early school-aged children who work three-day shift rotations in South Korea.

METHODS

A descriptive phenomenological approach employed in-depth interviews to collect data from 12 married, female nurses with children aged 4-9 years. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method, and reporting rigor was demonstrated using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist.

FINDINGS

Four themes emerged in our findings: (1) challenging phase: facing a great crisis that completely shatters the axis of life; (2) chaos phase: endless inner conflict between work and parenting; (3) solutions for coping phase: struggling to continue a nursing career; and (4) expanding phase: stepping into the expanded world of care.

CONCLUSION

Nurses working three-day shift rotations try to balance their lives through interactions between nursing and child-rearing. Further research is needed to create an environment that promotes this balance.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE AND POLICY

To provide a better work-life balance, policymakers should foster a participatory and supportive management style, ensure adequate nurse staffing, implement a flexible work system, provide clinical career opportunities, encourage professional autonomy and responsibility, and promote in-service and shared social information or continuing education.

Structural empowerment and work ethics influence on the work engagement of millennial nurses

AIM

This study investigated the influence of structural empowerment and work ethics on work engagement among millennial Saudi clinical nurses.

BACKGROUND

No extensive research has been conducted on the structural empowerment, work ethics and work engagement of millennial nurses, especially in Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia.

DESIGN

This study utilized descriptive correlation quantitative design.

METHOD

A total of 250 millennial Saudi nurses participated in the online survey containing the Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile-Short Form, Conditions for Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale.

RESULTS

Descriptive analyses revealed the highest mean for 'delay of gratification' for work ethics (M = 4.38, SD = 0.66), 'access to opportunity' for structural empowerment (M = 4.28, SD = 0.78) and 'dedication' dimension for work engagement (M = 5.02, SD = 1.10). Regression analysis revealed that marital status, employment status, type of hospital, structural empowerment and work ethics influenced the work engagement of millennial Saudi clinical nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

Personal and organisational factors, work ethics and structural empowerment contribute to the work engagement of millennial Saudi clinical nurses.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

This study discusses the importance of formulating strategies such as recognition, rewards and incentives for good nursing practice to foster the work engagement of millennial nurses.

The influence of workplace incivility on the fatigue of female nurses:the mediating effect of engagement

AIMS

To identify the associations of workplace incivility, engagement and fatigue among Chinese female nurses, and further explore whether engagement can play a mediating role.

BACKGROUND

Nurses are at a high risk of fatigue. However, no research has been done to examine the associations among nurses' workplace incivility, engagement and fatigue.

METHODS

The cross-sectional study was conducted in Jiangsu Province, China. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 1,200 female nurses, including The Fatigue Scale, Workplace Incivility Scale, Gallup Workplace Questionnaire and demographic variables. Valid responses were obtained from 1,035 (86.3%) of participants. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the associations among workplace incivility, engagement and fatigue.

RESULTS

The mean fatigue score was 6.54±3.07. Workplace incivility and engagement were related to fatigue (P<0.01). Engagement partly mediated the association between workplace incivility and fatigue (a*b =0.086, bias-corrected 95% CI: 0.059, 0.116; P<0.01), and the proportion of the mediating effect accounted for by engagement was 33.0%.

CONCLUSION

Chinese female nurses suffered from high level of fatigue. The improvement of female nurses' engagement may be helpful to alleviate the impact of workplace incivility on fatigue.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Managers should reduce workplace incivility of female nurses by promoting engagement to reduce fatigue.

The Effect of Nurses' Work-Life Balance on Work Engagement: The Adjustment Effect of Affective Commitment

Background

This study aimed to examine the effects of nurses' work-life balance (WLB), job demands and resources, and organizational attachment on their work engagement (WE). The second aim was to shed light on whether the relationships among WLB, job demands, resources, and WE are modulated by organizational attachment.

Methods

In total, 425 nurses working in a university hospital responded to the questionnaire. The primary statistical analysis method was hierarchical multiple regression with WE as the dependent variable.

Results

In the model in which all variables were applied, affective commitment (AC) (β = 0.41), family-to-work positive spillover (β = 0.25), and number of children (β = 0.13) were found to have a significant association with WE. Family-to-work negative spillover (FWNS) and AC had significant interaction effects. The result suggests that when AC was low, WE tended to decline further due to FWNS; however, when AC was high, WE did not change due to the effect of FWNS.

Conclusion

These results confirmed that to improve nurses' WE, hospital organizations should implement initiatives to facilitate WLB that considers nurses' household roles. Furthermore, high organizational attachment buffered the home's negative influence on work, thereby helping nurses work energetically.

Work engagement and associated factors among dental nurses in China

BACKGROUND

Work engagement is affected by many factors. The level of work engagement among dental nurses is unknown.

METHODS

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 215 dental nurses. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Chinese Nurse Stressors Scale, Work-related Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, Multi-dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and General Well-Being Schedule were applied to measure Chinese nurses' work engagement, job stress, psychological flexibility, perceived social support and subjective well-being, respectively. Univariate analysis was used to identify the relationships of work engagement with demographic and psychological characteristics. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was applied to test the variance in work engagement accounted for by factors related to work engagement in the univariate analysis.

RESULTS

The level of work engagement among Chinese dental nurses was moderate or above. Work engagement was positively associated with perceived social support, psychological flexibility and subjective well-being but negatively correlated with job stress. The hierarchical regression analysis showed that age, job stress, psychological flexibility and subjective well-being were significantly correlated with work engagement, though perceived social support was not, all of those psychological variables together explained 34.7% of the variance in work engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

Dental nurses in China had an acceptable level of work engagement in terms of vigour, dedication and absorption. Increased job stress resulted in lower work engagement. Nurses who had higher levels of perceived social support, psychological flexibility and subjective well-being also had higher work engagement. It is necessary to understand the job stress of nurses, strengthen nurses' social support, relieve nurses' job stress, improve nurses' psychological flexibility and subjective well-being, which will improve nurses' work engagement levels.

Domestic work stress and self-rated psychological health among women: a cross-sectional study in Japan

BACKGROUND

Despite the huge burden of domestic work on women in Japan, its effects on their health have been poorly investigated. We aimed to assess the association between domestic work stress and self-rated psychological health among women.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey using an online social research panel in February 2018. Participants were 2,000 women with paid work (the "workers" group) and 1,000 women without paid work (the "homemakers" group), aged between 25 and 59 years old and living with a partner. Self-rated psychological health (Mental Health and Vitality scales of the Japanese SF-36), occupational and domestic work stress (the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire), the 10-item Work-Family Conflict Scale, and sociodemographic factors were assessed.

RESULTS

The workers had lower domestic job control and higher support from a partner and their parents than the homemakers (p < 0.001), whereas domestic job demand and psychological health were similar between the groups. After adjustment for the covariates using multiple linear regression models, better psychological health was significantly associated with lower domestic job demand, higher domestic job control, and having a young child in both groups. In addition, work-family conflicts and occupational job stress among the workers and caregiving among the homemakers showed negative associations with psychological health.

CONCLUSION

Self-rated psychological health in women was associated with domestic work stress regardless of employment status. To promote women's health, we need to take into account the effects of domestic work, work-family conflicts, and social support from families, as well as occupational factors.