Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31306/s.61.3.6
Maintaining the quality of personal life, health and work capacity of nurses
Karmela Hrastinski
; SB za ortopediju i traumatologiju Akromion, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
The objective of the study was to identify the most prevalent stressors in the everyday workload of nurses and medical technicians that impact their health, work capacity and quality of life. Differences were found regarding the results obtained in two different hospitals explainable by the type of work that participants do in their daily routine activities. Measures are suggested to improve coping with stress and those that will contribute to a better quality of life, personal health and work capacity.
The study was conducted on a sample of 93 nurses/technicians employed at a special hospital (SH), (N=38), and a clinic (C), (N=55).
The participation in the study was voluntary and anonymous and used the Questionnaire for the Assessment of the Impact of Work on Health and Work Capacity. The obtained data was fed into a data base (Microsoft Excel the Windows) with a descriptive statistical analysis following. The differences in category variables were analysed using the chi-square test. P values < 0.05 were regarded as significant. The analysis relied on STATISTICA version 10.0 (www.statsoft.com) and WAI correlation was investigated with the responses from the Questionnaire using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb.
No differences were found in the two facilities with respect to factors such as challenge, promotion and involvement in the work of the organisation (p>0.05). More than a half (52% and 63% respectively) was dissatisfied. Over one half of the subjects (55% and 58%) wished to sometimes stop with their work, and a fifth found work a mere obligation and increasingly repulsive. 62% complained of no chance for promotion. The best element of the work for most subjects was the collaboration with other colleagues. As for the quality of life, a great majority found it partly satisfying or unsatisfying (48%).
The lower WAI values were found to be in strong correlation to dissatisfaction with work, and with the quality of life, poorer performance at work, poorer health and health overload.
Despite the relatively small study sample (N=38 and N=55), the results should be interpreted as indicators of the sources of stress that are directly related to the organisational factors and should serve as the base in planning improvement measures.
Measures are proposed to cope better with stress, preserve the quality of life and work capacity. Intervention measures should take into account the precious factor of excellent collaboration with colleagues at work.
Keywords
nurse/technician; personal health; quality of life; work capacity
Hrčak ID:
225819
URI
Publication date:
3.10.2019.
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