WORKING ENVIRONMENT IN NURSING: NEEDS IMPROVEMENT?
ABSTRACT: Knowing the quality
of life of professionals is important because it is related to job performance,
better results, and greater productivity, which results in better patient care.
Objective: To know the Professional Quality of Life perceived by the nurses at
the Geriatric Hospital of Toledo (Spain). Method: A descriptive cross-section
study was employed to measure the Professional Quality of Life of all
healthcare nurses (69 in total) at the Geriatric Hospital of Toledo. The
questionnaire used as a measuring instrument was the Professional Quality of
Life - 35. The data obtained was analyzed by means of: descriptive statistics,
single-factor ANOVA variance analysis, T Student tests, and simple and multiple
regression analysis. The study was approved by both the research commission and
the ethics commission at the Hospital Complex of Toledo. Participation in the
study on behalf of the nursing staff was voluntary. Results: In total, 45
responses were obtained (65.2%). The overall mean score measured the perceived
Professional Quality of Life to be low. In relation to the three dimensions
evaluated in the study, the highest average found was in “intrinsic
motivation,” followed by “workload”, and then “management support.” In the
multivariate analysis, “management support” was shown as the most influential
factor in the Professional Quality of Life with a 23% influence (P<0.001),
followed by workload with 9% (P = 0.01). Conclusions: The professionals at the
participating center perceive their workplace as having an elevated degree of
responsibility, a large quantity of work, a high occurrence of rushes and fatigue,
and all this with little support on behalf of management. Promotions are scarce
or the policies for receiving a promotion are inadequate. The perception of
Professional Quality of Life in nursing is low. The obtained results indicate a
need for an organizing cultural change based on participation, motivation, and
increased management support.
Author: Alicia Hanzeliková
Pogrányivá, MarÃa Victoria GarcÃa López, Dolores Pomares MartÃnez, MarÃa José
Pardo Fernández, Julia Del Monte Paz
Journal Code: jpkeperawatangg120010
