title: Working life and stress symptoms among caregivers in elderly care with formal and no formal competence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to describe and compare caregivers with formal and no formal competence on job satisfaction, psychosomatic health, structural and psychological empowerment and perceptions of care quality. A further aim was to study relationships among study variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 572 caregivers in elderly care participated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers with no formal competence perceived higher workload, more communication obstacles, less competence, poorer sleep and more stress symptoms than did their colleagues. Linear regression analyses revealed that the factor self-determination was an explanatory variable of stress levels among caregivers with no formal competence, and self-determination and impact among caregivers with formal competence. Linear regression analysis revealed that different dimensions in structural and psychological empowerment explained the variance in staff job satisfaction, perceived stress symptoms and quality of care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No formal competence seems to be a risk factor for psychosomatic health problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Managers need to have a strategic plan for how to create a working environment for caregivers with no formal competence. Caregivers' self-determination seems to be important for stress symptoms. Meaning, self-determination, impact and opportunities appear to be important for job satisfaction and competence, opportunities, resources and formal power for quality of care.
authors: Department of Health and Caring Sciences, University of Gävle, Sweden. riahis@ontaioshores.ca
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Engström
authors: Bernice
authors: B
authors: Skytt
authors: Annika
authors: A
authors: Nilsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002983:Clinical Competence; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013315:Stress, Psychological