title: Development of hospital nurses' work ability over a 2 year period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A new approach to the study of work ability is an individually oriented approach. This approach increases our understanding of how work ability develops over time among individuals with a different level of work ability.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To increase knowledge about individuals' work ability trajectories by studying hospital nurses' development of work ability over a 2 year period and factors associated with these trajectories.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a data set of a prospective cohort study of hospital nurses, which was surveyed for 2 years by means of three questionnaires on work characteristics, health and work ability. The outcome variable was the general work ability trajectory over the course of 2 years (favourable/unfavourable). The predictors were the individual, physical and mental work ability and health characteristics at baseline. A multivariate backwards stepwise logistic regression analysis was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 572 nurses in the cohort, nearly one-third (31%, 179/572) showed an unfavourable general work ability trajectory. Low physical work ability (odds ratio (OR) 1.82; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.12-2.95) and high level of fatigue (OR 1.52; 95% CI 0.97-2.40) at baseline were predictors for the unfavourable course of self-reported general work ability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A substantial proportion of this cohort of hospital nurses experienced a reduction in work ability over the course of 2 years. Baseline physical work ability and level of fatigue were related to this. The next step is to address these factors when counselling nurses and evaluate the effect of interventions aimed at improving physical work ability and reducing fatigue.
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.s.boschman@amc.nl.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Boschman
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nieuwenhuijsen
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M H W
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Frings-Dresen
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sluiter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D016272:Occupational Health; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014937:Work; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Health care workers; longitudinal study; screening; surveillance; work functioning.