title: Using a social capital framework to enhance measurement of the nursing work environment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop, field test and analyse a social capital survey instrument for measuring the nursing work environment.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The concept of social capital, which focuses on improving productive capacity by examining relationships and networks, may provide a promising framework to measure and evaluate the nurse work environment in a variety of settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey instrument for measuring social capital in the nurse work environment was developed by adapting the World Bank's Social Capital - Integrated Questionnaire (SC-IQ). Exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analyses were applied to assess the properties of the instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The exploratory factor analysis yielded five factors that align well with the social capital framework, while reflecting unique aspects of the nurse work environment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the social capital framework provides a promising context to assess the nurse work environment. Further work is needed to refine the instrument for a diverse range of health-care providers and to correlate social capital measures with quality of patient care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social capital measurement of the nurse work environment has the potential to provide managers with an enhanced set of tools for building productive capacity in health-care organisations and achieving desired outcomes.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA. bsheingo@email.gwu.edu
authors.forename: Brenda Helen
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Sheingold
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sheingold
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust; D014480:United Nations; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: affordable care act; measurement; nurse work environment; social capital