Organization, work and work reactions: a study of the relationship between organizational aspects of nursing and nurses' work characteristics and work reactions.
This article describes a quantitative, correlational study of the relationship between organizational aspects (such as the predictability of the care), work characteristics (autonomy and workload) and work reactions (work satisfaction and health complaints) in nursing work. The variables have been measured by questionnaires. Subjects were 155 nurses from nine units in two general hospitals in the Netherlands. Several organizational aspects seem to be correlated with work characteristics and work reactions. Organizational aspects particularly influence work characteristics and play, therefore, a mediating role in the relationship between organizational aspects and work reactions. Job satisfaction is not only correlated with the autonomy, but also with workload. Health complaints appeared to be mainly correlated with the workload. It is concluded that for an improvement of job satisfaction and reduction of health complaints, it is not only necessary to improve autonomy and reduce workload, but also to pay attention to organizational aspects because these may influence the work characteristics.
Tummers
Gladys E R
GE
Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Health Organization, Policy and Economics, University of Maastricht, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Landeweerd
Jan A
JA
van Merode
Godefridus G
GG
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009426:Netherlands; D009738:Nursing Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*