Self-assessment of the characteristics of nurses' work environment and psychometric analysis of the Slovene-language version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI)

Skela-Savič, Brigita (author), Squires, Allison (author), Sermeus, Walter (author), Lobe, Bojana (author), Dello, Simon (author), Bahun, Mateja (author)

ntroduction: Measures to improve nurses' work environments include ensuring adequate staffing levels, recognising the importance of nursing work, involving nurses in decision-making processes, and improving interprofessional communication. The aim of this study was to analyse the job characteristics reported by nurses and their association with the dimensions of clinical practice environments in hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional explorative research design was employed. The Slovene-language version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI(SI)) and data on nurses' job characteristics were used. A total of 1,010 nurses (403 general care nurses and 605 healthcare assistants) from ten Slovenian general hospitals participated in the study. Permission to conduct the research was granted by the Commission of the Republic of Slovenia for Medical Ethics.Results: The mean score of the PES-NWI(SI) was low (2.64), and the scale reliability was 0.937. The original theoretical five-factor structure was confirmed. The regression model explained the five factors in 26–47% of cases. The explanatory variables included opportunities for advancement, educational opportunities, professional status, satisfaction with current job and work environment, independence at work, and study leave. Discussion and conclusion: The study revealed managers' inadequate ability to ensure sufficient staffing, insufficient involvement of both respondents and managers in hospital affairs, and the lack of promotion opportunities. Creating an optimal work environment for nurses is an important task for managers and leaders. National healthcare policy must consider nurses as equal healthcare professionals and nursing as both a professional and scientific discipline.

• Language: English
• Keywords: career, professional status, leaders, job satisfaction, interprofessional collaboration, nursing care
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 7-17
• Numbering: Letn. 58, št. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-166391
• UDC: 616-083
• ISSN on article: 1318-2951
• DOI: 10.14528/snr.2024.58.1.3212
• COBISS.SI-ID: 189542659
• Publication date in RUL: 10.01.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Obzornik zdravstvene nege : strokovno glasilo Zveze društev medicinskih sester in zdravstvenih tehnikov Slovenije
• Shortened title: Obzor. zdrav. neg.
• Publisher: Zbornica zdravstvene nege
• ISSN: 1318-2951
• COBISS.SI-ID: 39433728

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Samoocena značilnosti delovnega okolja medicinskih sester in psihometrična analiza lestvice Indeks delovnega okolja v zdravstveni negi v slovenskem jeziku

Abstract

Uvod: Intervencije za izboljšanje delovnega okolja medicinskih sester vključujejo ustrezno kadrovsko zasedbo, vrednotenje dela medicinskih sester, njihovo vključevanje v procese odločanja in dobro medpoklicno komunikacijo. Cilj raziskave je bil raziskati značilnosti dela, o katerih poročajo medicinske sestre v izbranih slovenskih bolnišnicah in njihovo povezavo z dimenzijami delovnih okolij v bolnišnicah.Metode: Izvedena je bila presečna raziskava. Uporabljena je bila slovenska različica lestvice Indeks delovnega okolja v zdravstveni negi (PES-NWI(SI)), zbrani so bili podatki o značilnostih delovnih mest. Sodelovalo je 1010 medicinskih sester (403 diplomirane medicinske sestre in 605 tehnikov zdravstvene nege) iz desetih slovenskih splošnih bolnišnic. Dovoljenje za izvedbo raziskave je dala Komisija Republike Slovenije za medicinsko etiko.Rezultati: Povprečna ocena PES-NWI(SI) je bila nizka (2,64); zanesljivost lestvice je bila 0,937. Prvotna pet-faktorska teoretična struktura lestvice je bila potrjena. Regresijski model je pojasnil pet notranjih dimenzij lestvice s 26–47 % uspešnostjo. Pojasnjevalne spremenljivke so bile priložnosti za napredovanje in izobraževanje, poklicni status, zadovoljstvo s trenutno službo in delovnim okoljem, neodvisnost pri delu in študijski dopust.Diskusija in zaključek: Raziskava je pokazala slabo sposobnost menedžerjev v zdravstveni negi za zagotavljanje ustrezne kadrovske zasedenosti, slabo vključenost anketirancev in vodij v bolnišnične zadeve ter slabe možnosti kariernega napredovanja. Ustvarjanje optimalnega delovnega okolja za medicinske sestre je pomembna naloga menedžerjev in vodij. Nacionalna zdravstvena politika mora na medicinske sestre gledati kot na enakovredne zdravstvene delavce, na zdravstveno nego pa kot na stroko in znanost.

• Keywords: kariera, poklicni status, vodje, zadovoljstvo pri delu, medpoklicno sodelovanje, zdravstvena nega

Projects

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Project number: 601092-EPP-1-2018-1-SI-EPPKA2-KA
• Name: Hospitals and faculties together for prosperous and scientific based healthcare