Hello everybody, my dear Friends.

One more time from ESICM,  I would like to share a very interesting review article signed by Silvia Calviño.

What are the keys to keeping nurses happy?

 


Nurses in Intensive Care Units are confronted with a difficult working environment, with a high level of responsibility and stress, and are confronted on a daily basis with pain, suffering and death.

These aspects of their work can negatively affect job satisfaction, inducing a high staff turnover and indirectly, affect productivity and efficacy.

In the recent article “Nurses well-being in intensive care units: study of factors promoting team commitment”, the authors aimed to examine how organisational factors could affect the experience of identification and commitment among ICU staff. 

The study consisted of a cross-sectional survey with a self-reported questionnaire administered to confirmed nurses of 12 ICUs in four Italian urban hospitals, based on validated scales derived from psycho-social literature.

Consistent with previous studies, the answers showed that three variables were directly related to team commitment: job autonomy considered as freedom and discretion in scheduling tasks, making decisions and choosing procedures; nurse-physician collaboration and communication; and perceived quality of practice, which affects identification with the team and its objectives. Organisational tenure was not a significant factor in this study. Furthermore, the positive relationship between these variables and team commitment were mediated by job satisfaction and perceived supervisor support, crucial to develop a good climate for clinical practice.

“Nurses need to know when they are doing a good job and that they are valued for it; the role of supervisors support is essential to develop job satisfaction…”

Translating these findings in new management strategies could represent a breakthrough in ICU organisation: supervisors should not only increase autonomy, but consider individual’s needs as well as the unit’s needs, caring about the well-being of healthcare professionals and developing the interpersonal relationships within the unit. Such strategies could increase team collaboration and commitment, with preservation of a well-qualified, efficient and motivated workforce, ready to face the challenges of working in the ICU and improving indirectly the health of patients. 

Happy Thursday!
Gabi

Reference:

Galletta M, Portoghese I, Coppola RC, Finco G, Campagna M. Nurses well-being in intensive care units: study of factors promoting team commitment. British Association of Critical Care Nurses (2014)

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