Measuring quality of work-life: a participatory approach in a Canadian cancer center.
BACKGROUND
Quality of work-life (QWL) has been gaining increasing attention in health care settings. To our knowledge, no QWL data for cancer centers have been published.


METHODS
A participatory approach was used to develop a QWL survey that was administered to staff in Year 1 (Y1) and Year 2 (Y2) in a Canadian ambulatory cancer center.


RESULTS
Overall staff QWL scores were moderate in Y1 and Y2; however, there was considerable variation among four main employee groups (physicians, nurses, physicists, radiation therapists).


CONCLUSIONS
The survey data provide a benchmark against which other cancer centers can be compared.
Sale
Joanna E M
JE
Institute for Work & Health, Scarborough Hospital, Scarborough, ON, Canada. jsale@interlog.com
Smoke
Marcia
M
D002170:Canada; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003625:Data Collection; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D016272:Occupational Health; D011788:Quality of Life