No differences in job perceptions amongst Dutch nurse anaesthetists with and without nursing background.
BACKGROUND
In the Netherlands, the employment as a "nurse anaesthetist" is comparable to that of a registered nurse anaesthetist in the Scandinavian countries and Poland. However, the Dutch healthcare system employs nurse anaesthetists both with and without nursing backgrounds. This study has investigated whether a nursing background influences the attitudes and perceptions of nurse anaesthetists in the Netherlands.


METHODS
A survey was distributed to all nurse anaesthetists working in Dutch hospitals to discover differences in their perceptions of their work context, job satisfaction, and work climate, as well as health and turnover intention. The questionnaire also sought basic information on socio-demographic factors and psychosomatic symptoms. Descriptive statistics, factor analyses and independent T-tests were computed.


RESULTS
Overall 923 of a total of 2,000 questionnaires were completed and analysed (response rate of 46%). Independent T-tests showed no significant differences between nurse anaesthetists with and those without nursing backgrounds in all the areas examined.


CONCLUSIONS
Dutch nurse anaesthetists with and without nursing backgrounds reported similar perceptions of and information about their work context, job satisfaction, work climate, psychosomatic symptoms, burnout, sickness absence, general health and turnover intention. Both academic tracks appeared to produce individuals who functioned similarly as professionals.
Department of Anesthesiology, Catharina Hospital - Brabant Medical School, Eindhoven, the Netherlands. meeusen44@hetnet.nl
Vera
V
Meeusen
Karen
K
Van Dam
Chris
C
Brown-Mahoney
Andre
A
Van Zundert
Hans
H
Knape
D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D009719:Nurse Anesthetists / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult