Workforce

About: Workforce is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 32140 publications have been published within this topic receiving 449850 citations. The topic is also known as: labour force & labor force.

Organizational climate and intensive care unit nurses' intention to leave.

Abstract: Objective The purposes of this study were to a) estimate the incidence of intensive care units nurses' intention to leave due to working conditions; and b) identify factors predicting this phenomenon. Design Cross-sectional design. Setting Hospitals and critical care units. Subjects Registered nurses (RNs) employed in adult intensive care units. Interventions Organizational climate, nurse demographics, intention to leave, and reason for intending to leave were collected using a self-report survey. Measurements and main results Nurses were categorized into two groups: a) those intending to leave due to working conditions; and b) others (e.g., those not leaving or retirees). The measure of organizational climate had seven subscales: professional practice, staffing/resource adequacy, nurse management, nursing process, nurse/physician collaboration, nurse competence, and positive scheduling climate. Setting characteristics came from American Hospital Association data and a survey of chief nursing officers. Results A total of 2,323 RNs from 66 hospitals and 110 critical care units were surveyed across the nation. On average, the RN was 39.5 yrs old (SD = 9.40), had 15.6 yrs (SD = 9.20) experience in health care, and had worked in his or her current position for 8.0 yrs (SD = 7.50). Seventeen percent (n = 391) of the respondents indicated intending to leave their position in the coming year. Of those, 52% (n = 202) reported that the reason was due to working conditions. Organizational climate factors that had an independent effect on intensive care unit nurse intention to leave due to working conditions were professional practice, nurse competence, and tenure (p Conclusions Improving professional practice in the work environment and clinical competence of the nurses as well as supporting new hires may reduce turnover and help ensure a stable and qualified workforce.

Characterizing the General Surgery Workforce in Rural America

Abstract: Background General surgeons form a crucial component of the medical workforce in rural areas of the United States. Any decline in their numbers could have profound effects on access to adequate health care in such areas. Hypothesis We hypothesize that the rural areas of the United States are relatively undersupplied with general surgeons. Design and Setting The American Medical Association’s Physician Masterfile was used to identify all clinically active general surgeons as well as their locations and characteristics. Their geographic distribution was examined using the ZIP code version of the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas. Surgeons were classified as practicing in urban areas, large rural areas, or small/isolated rural areas. Results There are currently 17 243 general surgeons practicing in the United States. Nationally, the number of general surgeons per population of 100 000 varies from 6.53 in urban areas to 7.71 in large rural areas and 4.67 in small/isolated rural areas. Only 10.6% of the nation’s general surgeons are female. Wide variations in numbers of general surgeons were found between and within individual states. General surgeons in the smallest rural areas are more likely than those in urban areas to be male (92.7% vs 88.3%, P P P Conclusions The overall size of the rural general surgical workforce has remained static over the last decade, but its demographic characteristics suggest that numbers will decline. Many rural residents have limited access to surgical services. Steps to reverse this trend are needed to preserve the viability of health care in many parts of rural America.

Working in the Social Services: Job Satisfaction, Stress and Violence

Abstract: A major survey of the social services workforce (Balloch et al, forthcoming), carried out in the Research Unit at the National Institute for Social Work, has produced new data about sources ol job satisfaction and about the incidence of stress and violence. The survey took place in five different local authorities in England, and interviews were carried out with 1276 individuals, selected from four groups of staff: managers, social work staff, home care workers and residential staff. The results suggested that those who work in the statutory social services do experience more stress and violence than workers in other pans of the health and welfare services. However, different jobs presented different hazards. In general, home care workers were the most satisfied with their jobs, and were also the group least likely to be stressed or to experience violence in the course of their work. By contrast, residential workers, especially those with management responsibilities, were most at risk of both violence and stress. Men were more likely than women to experience violence, while other groups with a higher than average risk of stress included younger members of staff, and managers and social work staff responsible for elderly people.

Improvement, trust, and the healthcare workforce

Abstract: Although major defects in the performance of healthcare systems are well documented, progress toward remedy remains slow. Accelerating improvement will require large shifts in attitudes toward and strategies for developing the healthcare workforce. At present, prevailing strategies rely largely on outmoded theories of control and standardisation of work. More modern, and much more effective, theories of production seek to harness the imagination and participation of the workforce in reinventing the system. This requires a workforce capable of setting bold aims, measuring progress, finding alternative designs for the work itself, and testing changes rapidly and informatively. It also requires a high degree of trust in many forms, a bias toward teamwork, and a predilection toward shouldering the burden of improvement, rather than blaming external factors. A new healthcare workforce strategy, founded on these principles, will yield much faster improvement than at present.

The Experiences of Primary Healthcare Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia.

Abstract: PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an international health crisis of a scope not seen in our lifetime. While much attention has been paid to health workers in critical care and acute areas, nurses working outside of hospitals are also significantly affected. This study sought to investigate the experience of nurses working in Australian primary healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, it sought to understand the implications on their employment status, role, and access to personal protective equipment. DESIGN AND METHODS: Nurses employed in primary healthcare across Australia were invited to participate in a cross-sectional online survey through social media and professional organizations. The survey tool was composed of demographics, and of questions about the nurses' employment, work role, and access to personal protective equipment. FINDINGS: Of the 637 responses received, nearly half (43.7%) reported a decrease in hours and threatened or actual loss of employment. While most respondents felt that they had sufficient knowledge about COVID-19, they expressed concern about work-related risks to themselves and their family. Most respondents described never or only sometimes having sufficient personal protective equipment in their workplace. Just over half of respondents (54.8%) felt well supported by their employer. A third of respondents (34%) perceived that care provided in their workplace was significantly or slightly worse than before the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study of primary healthcare nurses' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study findings highlighted a concerning level of insecurity around primary healthcare nursing employment, as well as issues with the availability of personal protective equipment for these nurses. The perception that the pandemic has resulted in reduced quality of care needs further exploration to ensure that those with chronic conditions are supported to maintain and promote health. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Understanding the implications of COVID-19 on the primary healthcare nursing workforce is vital to ensure staff retention and care quality. Ensuring that the community remains healthy and supported at home is vital to both reduce the burden on the health system and reduce secondary mortality.