title: Spirit at work and hope among the ruins: registered nurses' covenant of care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore registered nurses' (RNs) perspectives about the health care system, management/leadership, patients and spirit at work (SAW).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Researchers investigating RNs experiences of reduced job satisfaction and diminishing organisational commitment are looking carefully at spirit at work as a means to foster healthier workplaces.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, cross-sectional mixed methods design was used to measure and explore the relationships between spirit at work, job satisfaction and organisational commitment. A 2012 postal survey sent by the provincial licensing body to a random sample of 217 surgical and 158 home care registered nurses' in western Canada returned 179 surveys. Seventy-five respondents answered the open-ended survey question. Their responses warrant further content analysis and serve as the foundation of this article.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants noted that organisational structures and policies, combined with unsupportive leadership, were associated with a reduced sense of community, lack of trust and diminished accountability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spirit at work was described as sustaining registered nurses' and providing them with hope as they fulfilled their covenant of care with patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Leadership attention to the advancement of SAW may support the covenant of care between the registered nurses and patient while fostering healthier workplaces.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: Joan I J
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Gregory
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory; D016134:Organizational Policy; D012525:Saskatchewan; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: covenant of care; job satisfaction; organisational commitment; registered nurses; spirit at work