Isabelle Hansez

Stress and burnout in anaesthesia.

Purpose of review Recently, many researchers have been studying stress and burnout in anaesthesia. Some researchers have examined the effects of stress in the workplace. Others have identified some job characteristics that have an impact on anaesthetists well-being. Yet, few studies use the same measure of stress and/or define the concept of stress in the same way, making comparison and aggregation of results difficult, and therefore minimizing the general impact of these research findings. Recent findings The following review focuses on the increasing recent research on stress and burnout in anaesthesia regarding the existing stress models and shows where the progress has been made, and where difference of opinion and divergence of approach remain. Summary From the referred studies, the review challenges the more practical problems of prevention of stress and burnout and provides some avenues for future investigations.

Performance expectations, personal resources, and job resources: How do they predict work engagement?

Research on work engagement has mainly focused on the role of job and personal resources and has ignored the possible impact of personal demands workers develop with regard to their work. The aim of our study was to test the reciprocal relationships that job resources, personal resources, and personal demands, operationalized as performance expectations, share with work engagement. Three-wave longitudinal data were collected in a Belgian public institution (N = 473). Results confirm the causal effects of job resources, personal resources, and performance expectations on work engagement. Reciprocal relationships are not significant. Results are discussed with regard to the impact of changes in job and personal resources and performance expectations on work engagement. Practical implications including reinforcement of Human Resources practices such as appraisal interviewing and career management are also discussed.

A longitudinal test of the Job Demands-Resources model using perveived stigma and social identity

In occupational psychology, the Job Demands–Resources (JDR) model is considered as a compelling model to explain burnout and work engagement. Despite its robustness, it can be addressed two main criticisms, namely a lack of three-wave longitudinal studies and an exclusive focus on work-related predictors of well-being. The aims of our study are (1) to test the JDR model using a three-wave longitudinal design, and (2) to test the JDR model using predictors reflecting intergroup relationships within the work context. Structural equation modelling analyses were performed on data collected in a Belgian public institution (N = 473). Results indicate that burnout and work engagement are respectively predicted by perceived stigma against ones occupational group and by group identification. Moreover, group identification moderates the relation between perceived stigma and work engagement. Results are discussed in terms of the role of group identification as a coping strategy, as well as with regards to potential effects of what has been called “dirty work”.

Learning and motivation to transfer after an e-learning programme: impact of trainees’ motivation to train, personal interaction and satisfaction

While e-learning appears to be increasingly present in training and education, the systematic evaluation of its effectiveness remains understudied. In this paper, we determine the mediating role of satisfaction between motivation to train and personal interaction, on the one hand, and learning and motivation to transfer, on the other hand. A particularity of this study is that we distinguish between different dimensions of satisfaction – enjoyment, utility, difficulty and take into account lack of personal interaction as a variable influencing satisfaction. Results of structural equation modelling analyses show an impact of the enjoyment dimension on learning, and of the utility and difficulty dimensions on motivation to transfer. The results also stress the importance of interaction opportunities, as these have an indirect effect on learning and motivation to transfer.

Predictors and correlates of burnout in residents working with cancer patients.

There are few studies which have investigated variables associated with the development of burnout among residents working with cancer patients. The aim of this study is to identify variables leading to residents’ burnout in order to develop effective interventions. Burnout was assessed with Maslach Burnout Inventory. Person- (i.e., emotional-focused coping) and work-related (i.e., changes in lack of organizational support index) variables explain 28% of the variance in changes in emotional exhaustion. Training programs may be improved by adding specific modules for residents, about problem-focused coping in interviewing patients, and for supervisors, about effective team management.

Working conditions, job strain and work engagement among Belgian Radiation Oncologists

PURPOSE This national survey has measured the working conditions, work engagement, job strain, burn out, and the negative work-home interaction among Belgian radiation oncologists with validated questionnaires. In fact, previous studies had in general shown an interest to burn out and its association with working conditions among oncology workers, but not focused on radiation oncologists in particular. Moreover, few studies concerned work engagement and its association with working conditions although this could be important in preventing burn out. METHODS We used the WOrking Conditions and Control Questionnaire, the Positive and Negative Occupational States Inventory, the Maslach Burn out Inventory, and the negative work-home interaction subscale of the Survey Work-home Interaction Nijmegen. One open question asked about problematic job situations. RESULTS Sixty-six radiation oncologists participated (30% response rate). Median scores of most of working conditions corresponded to normal scores. Control over time management (45.8) was close to low score, while control over future (60.9) was high. Median score of job strain (48.9) was normal, whereas median score of work engagement (60) was high. Median score of burn out was low. The mean of negative work-home interactions (1.1) was higher than the mean of 0.84 in a reference sample (t=4.3; P<0.001). The most frequent problematic situations referred to work organization (e.g. time pressure) and specific resources (e.g. chief support). CONCLUSIONS Radiation oncologists showed a very high level of work engagement and experienced several job resources. However, some resources (as supervisor support) were missing and needed to be developed. These results were discussed in the context of motivational process described in the Job Demands-Resources Model.

Do management and executive share the same perception on the critical issues facing the front-line nursing staff?

ABSTRACT Changes in managerial practices increasingly distance managers from staff by promoting rotation. It could be thought that this distance changes the perception managers have of work constraints and resources. This study attempts to tackle staff and leadership disparate views on the issues facing front-line nursing staff. We sent an online questionnaire on work constraints and good practices to nursing chiefs from Belgium hospitals and conducted focus groups with their ‘front-line’ nursing staff in order to compare perceptions. 40% of the chief nurses mentioned as a regular problems for their staff: production pressure, working time, doctors–nurses collaboration and managing new staff. Except for the ‘productive pressure’, these issues are rather considered by the staff as occasional problems. Front-line staffs evaluate infrastructure, heat, working positions as more common problems. However, statistical analyses showed one significant difference in perception: management of incidents/accidents. Health care organizations should promote participatory management tools both to diagnose work constraints and to elaborate action priorities in order to guarantee a shared understanding of decisions making between staff and supervisors.

Organizational Justice and Perceived Organizational Support: Impact on Negative Work-Home Interference and Well-being Outcomes

It is well established that negative work-home interference (NegWHI) impacts upon several work attitudes and behaviors. In the interests of both organizational effectiveness and employee well-being, it is important to identify concepts related to NegWHI and investigate their effects on well-being outcomes. This study examines the mediating role of (1) perceived organizational support (POS) in the relationship between organizational justice (OJ) and NegWHI; and (2) NegWHI in the relationships between POS and four well-being outcomes. A total of 509 employees of a Belgian hospital were surveyed. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and the bootstrapping method. Results showed that POS partially mediates the relationships between distributive and passive procedural justice and NegWHI, and fully mediates the relationship between the other justice dimensions and NegWHI. NegWHI partially mediates the relationships between POS and both job satisfaction and intention to quit, and fully mediates the relationship between POS and job strain. Furthermore, POS is positively related to job engagement. This study showed that organizations can help employees to better manage their work and family lives and reduce the impact of NegWHI by enhancing employees’ feeling that they are supported by their organization. In order to increase POS, organizations need to promote justice in the workplace.

Elaboration et validation de tests de jugement situationnel comme outil de sélection professionnelle : guide méthodologique

Resume Les perspectives actuelles en selection professionnelle reconnaissent l’importance de creer des epreuves basees sur des mises en situation proches du contexte de travail. Les tests de jugement situationnel (TJS) constituent ainsi une methode de plus en plus utilisee en Europe. Cette methode a demontre differents avantages en termes de validite, d’acceptabilite aupres des candidats et d’economie sur les ressources necessaires a sa mise en œuvre. Ce manuscrit propose une demarche structuree et accessible pour la creation de ce type d’epreuve. Chaque etape est illustree par des exemples et les aspects de validation psychometrique sont discutes.

Relationships between employment quality and intention to quit: Focus on PhD candidates as traditional workers

ABSTRACT Current statistics show that the attrition rate among PhD candidates is high (i.e. from 30% to 40% depending on the discipline and the country). This high-attrition rate has an impact on both economic (e.g. negative impact on the return-on investment in doctoral education) and human levels (e.g. negative consequences on candidates’ self-esteem and well-being). Therefore, it seems important to better understand and to prevent the attrition among PhD candidates. Based on the needs–supplies fit theory, the present research focused on the perception of a fit between several PhD candidates’ work-related needs in terms of employment quality and the characteristics of their job to explain their intention to quit their PhD thesis process. This study was based on 160 Belgian PhD candidates, viewed as traditional workers in the Belgian doctoral system, who were still in their thesis process. Data were collected in one Belgian university. Globally, results shown that only the fit perception between the needs for fairness/recognition from the supervisor and the current job situation was significantly associated with lower intention to quit. Thus, we encourage Universities to develop and boost fairness and recognition from thesis supervisors through notably specific training programmes including supportive and justice-based practices.