Feelings about Nursing Assistants that Enhance the Work Motivation of Japanese Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses

Predictors associated with the mental health of Japanese male registered nurses: focusing on environments with many female registered nurses and female patients' refusal to accept nursing services from male registered nurses

Objective: To study the improvement of the mental health of Japanese male registered nurses, we investigated the predictors associated with the Japanese version of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). For those predictors, we focused on environments with many female registered nurses and female patients’ refusal to accept nursing services from male registered nurses.

Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 93 hospitals in the Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures of Japan. The analyzed subjects were 1,216 full-time male registered nurses. The average age (standard deviation) was 34.5 (9.2) years. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted. A GHQ-12 score of ≤3 indicated good mental health, and a score of ≥4 indicated poor mental health. “Mental health” was a dependent variable. The independent variables were: “Age”, “Male registered nurses as important partners on the job”, “Female registered nurses’ good manners toward male registered nurses”, “Fairness regarding male registered nurses’ promotions”, and “Female patients’ refusal to accept nursing services from male registered nurses”.

Results: There were 728 (59.9%) full-time male registered nurses with good mental health and 488 (40.1%) with poor mental health. The mental health of the male registered nurses who had negative feelings regarding, “Male registered nurses as important partners on the job” was significantly worse, and that of those who had negative feelings regarding, “Female registered nurses’ good manners toward male registered nurses” was also significantly worse.

Conclusion: Female registered nurses must recognize that their attitudes toward male registered nurses influence the mental health of male registered nurses. Hospital managers should provide male registered nurses who cannot establish appropriate relations with female registered nurses with consultation opportunities. Such organizational action by managers is necessary.

Job satisfaction and intention to remain on the job among Japanese nursing assistants

Objective: To establish work environments that prevent Japanese nursing assistants from leaving their jobs, we investigated the associations between their job satisfaction levels and intentions to remain on their jobs. Materials and Methods: We distributed anonymous self-administered questionnaires to Japanese female nursing assistants in 30 different hospitals. Regarding job satisfaction, we investigated various items relevant to both intrinsic facets (e.g., gaining various experiences) and extrinsic facets (e.g., salary), and conducted factor analyses of those items. Standardized partial regression coefficients were then calculated using multiple regression analyses. Intention to remain on the job was the dependent variable for this study. The factor scores calculated by the factor analyses of job satisfaction and respondents' characteristics were the independent variables. Since multicollinearity occurred, we utilized two types of statistical models. After questionnaires with one or more missing values were excluded, 618 questionnaires were analyzed. Results: Using factor analyses, we discovered six factors related to job satisfaction among nursing assistants: "Intrinsic motivation", "Salary", "Relationships among nursing assistants", "Registered nurses' attitudes", "Fatigue reduction", and "Opportunities for vocational skills". In statistical model 1, "Intrinsic motivation", "Salary", "Fatigue reduction", "Age", "Employment status", and "Certified care worker status" were significantly associated with "Intention to remain on the job". In statistical model 2, "Salary", "Registered nurses' attitudes", "Fatigue reduction", "Opportunities for vocational skills", "Age", and "Employment status" were significantly associated with "Intention to remain on the job". Conclusion: "Intrinsic motivation" and "Opportunities for vocational skills" are included in intrinsic facets. To prevent nursing assistants from leaving their jobs, raising only their extrinsic job satisfaction levels is insufficient. Because nursing assistants have not received formal nursing education, they cannot take pride in having the same skills and expertise as registered nurses. However, hospital managers must respect their feelings and establish an appropriate working environment.