The importance of the supervisor for the mental health and work attitudes of Australian aged care nurses

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 382-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Rodwell ◽  
Angela Martin

ABSTRACTBackground: The work attitudes and psychological well-being of aged care nurses are important factors impacting on the current and future capacity of the aged care workforce. Expanding our understanding of the ways in which the psychosocial work environment influences these outcomes is important in order to enable organizations to improve the management of human resources in this sector.Methods: Using survey data from a sample of 222 Australian aged care nurses, regression analyses were employed to test the relative impact of a range of psychosocial work environment variables derived from the demand-control-support (DCS) model and organizational justice variables on satisfaction, commitment, well-being, and depression.Results: The expanded model predicted the work attitudes and well-being of aged care nurses, particularly the DCS components. Specifically, demand was related to depression, well-being, and job satisfaction, job control was related to depression, commitment, and job satisfaction, and supervisor support and interpersonal fairness were related to well-being. The contributions of informational and interpersonal justice, along with the main and interaction effects of supervisor support, highlight the centrality of the supervisor in addressing the impact of job demands on aged care nurses.Conclusion: Psychosocial variables have utility beyond predicting stress outcomes to the work attitudes of nurses in an aged care setting and thus present further avenues of research for the retention of nurses and improved patient care.

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 230-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne Berthelsen ◽  
Tuija Muhonen ◽  
Susanna Toivanen

PurposeThere is an increased interest for introducing activity-based offices at universities. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the knowledge about the importance of the built environment for the psychosocial work environment within academia by analyzing how staff at a large Swedish university experienced the physical and psychosocial work environment before and after moving to activity-based offices.Design/methodology/approachA Web-based survey was distributed to all employees at two faculties at a university three months before (2015,n= 217, response rate 51 per cent) and nine months after (2016,n= 200, response rate 47 per cent) relocation to a new activity-based university building.FindingsIn the new premises, a vast majority (86 per cent) always occupied the same place when possible, and worked also more often from home. The social community at work had declined and social support from colleagues and supervisors was perceived to have decreased. The participants reported a lower job satisfaction after the relocation and were more likely to seek new jobs. No aspects in the physical or psychosocial work environment were found to have improved after the relocation.Research/limitations implicationsThe study had a two-wave cross-sectional design, which does not allow establishing causal relations.Practical implicationsThere is reason to be cautious about relocation to activity-based offices at universities. The potential savings in costs for premises may lead to may be followed by an increase in other costs. The risk that staff cannot concentrate on their work in activity-based university workplaces and lose their sense of community with colleagues are factors, which in the long run may lead to decreased efficiency, more conflicts and poorer well-being.Originality/valueThis paper contributes with new knowledge concerning changes in the physical and psychosocial work environment when relocating from cell offices to activity-based offices in a university setting.


2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.-M. Aalto ◽  
T. Heponiemi ◽  
I. Keskimaki ◽  
H. Kuusio ◽  
L. Hietapakka ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Netterstrøm ◽  
Nanna Hurwitz Eller ◽  
Marianne Borritz

The aim of this paper was to assess the prognostic factors of return to work (RTW) after one and three years among people on sick leave due to occupational stress.Methods. The study population comprised 223 completers on sick leave, who participated in a stress treatment program. Self-reported psychosocial work environment, life events during the past year, severity of the condition, occupational position, employment sector, marital status, and medication were assessed at baseline. RTW was assessed with data from a national compensation database (DREAM).Results. Self-reported high demands, low decision authority, low reward, low support from leaders and colleagues, bullying, high global symptom index, length of sick leave at baseline, and stressful negative life events during the year before baseline were associated with no RTW after one year. Low work ability and full-time sick leave at inclusion were predictors after three years too. Being single was associated with no RTW after three years. The type of treatment, occupational position, gender, age, and degree of depression were not associated with RTW after one or three years.Conclusion. The impact of the psychosocial work environment as predictor for RTW disappeared over time and only the severity of the condition was a predictor for RTW in the long run.


2006 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pauliina Mattila ◽  
Anna-Liisa Elo ◽  
Eeva Kuosma ◽  
Eeva Kylä-Setälä

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 26-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Biron ◽  
Jean‐Pierre Brun ◽  
Hans Ivers ◽  
Cary Cooper

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