title: Measuring the impact of the working environment on emergency department nurses: A cross-sectional pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The emergency department (ED) is characterised by high workload and competing demands. This study describes ED nurses perceptions of their working environment with a sub group analysis for those who also worked at the local police watch house, where individuals are detained in custody.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional pilot study was undertaken involving a survey of nurses working in one ED in Queensland, Australia. The Working Environment Score (WES-10) consists of four subscales: Self Realisation, Workload, Conflict, and Nervousness; and is used to measure stress and staff morale. This was administered at two time periods: T1: May 2013 and T2: July 2013; before and after 10 ED nurses worked in the watch house.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Questionnaires were returned by 34 nurses at T1 and 41 nurses at T2. The perception of working environment differed between T1 and T2 for nurse respondents who worked at the local police watch house but not for nurse respondents who did not work in the watch house. Of the four sub-scales, workload was the factor that impacted most on working environment in both groups and was notably higher for those who worked in the watch house and responded at T2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study identified that for ED nurses' satisfaction with their working environment was relatively high, although certain areas (e.g., nervousness) were better than others (e.g., workload). The perception of workload was higher for T2 staff offered the opportunity to use their ED skills in a different setting, however further work with a larger sample size is required.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Practice Innovation, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Department of Emergency Medicine, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: julia.crilly@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crilly
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: j.greenslade@psy.uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jaimi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greenslade
authors.affiliation: Clinical Forensic Medicine Unit, Forensic and Scientific Services, Department of Health, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: cathy.lincoln@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lincoln
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: jo.timms@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Timms
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: andrew.fisher@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011793:Queensland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Emergency departments; Morale; Nurses; Psychometrics; Questionnaire; Work environment