Joyce J. Fitzpatrick

Annual review of nursing research

Now in its second decade of publication, this landmark series draws together and critically reviews all the existing research in specific areas of nursing practice, nursing care delivery, nursing education, and the professional aspects of nursing. Volume 17 focuses on focus on complementary health and pain management and includes chapters by Mariah Snyder, Susan E. Auvil-Novak, Donna L. Algase, Beverly J. McElmurry, and Merle H. Mishel.

Self-compassion and emotional intelligence in nurses.

Nurses often provide care for patients and families who are suffering and where emotions are heightened. Compassion is an essential component of the care that nurses provide. Emotions play an important role in the relationship and communication between nurses, patients and families. Self-compassion is the ability to be compassionate to oneself, without this ability nurses might not be prepared to be compassionate to patients. Emotionally intelligent persons perceive themselves as confident, better able to understand, control and manage their emotions. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to examine the relationship between self-compassion and emotional intelligence. Participants were 135 nurses. The setting for this study was a health system with hospitals located in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties of New York, USA. Three of the hospitals in the study are located in Queens and/or the Queens/Nassau border. Queens is the most culturally diverse community in the USA. The patients served, as well as the nursing staff, are reflective of this cultural and religious diversity. Results indicated a positive correlation between self-compassion and emotional intelligence (r = 0.55). Recommendations for future research include: exploration of self-compassion and emotional intelligence in nurses, and identification of the benefits of enhancing self-compassion and emotional intelligence in nurses.

Nurse practitioners’ job satisfaction and intent to leave current positions, the nursing profession, and the nurse practitioner role as a direct care provider

Purpose: The purposes of this cross-sectional descriptive study were three-fold: to describe job satisfaction among a national nurse practitioner (NP) sample; to examine differences in NP job satisfaction based on their intent to leave current positions, the nursing profession, and the NP role as a direct care provider; and to describe the relationship between job satisfaction and anticipated turnover. Data sources: Data were collected from 254 NPs who attended the 2008 American Academy of NPs (AANPs) 23rd National Conference. The Misener NP Job Satisfaction Scale (MNPJSS) was used to measure NP job satisfaction. The Anticipated Turnover Scale (ATS) was used to assess NP perception or opinion of the possibility of voluntarily terminating their present job. Intent to leave variables were measured with single-item questions. Conclusions: The NPs sampled were satisfied with benefits, challenge, and autonomy. They were minimally satisfied with professional growth, intrapractice partnership, and collegiality. Twenty-seven percent of NPs indicated intent to leave current positions; a small percentage (5.5%) indicated intent to leave the nursing profession and the NP role as a direct care provider (5.5%). There were significant differences in job satisfaction based on intent to leave current positions, and higher job satisfaction scores were significantly related to intent not to leave current positions. There was a significant negative relationship between job satisfaction and anticipated turnover. This study contributes to the current literature that has minimally addressed NP job satisfaction and has not addressed NPs’ intent to leave current positions, the nursing profession, or the NP role as a direct care provider. This is the first national NP study of job satisfaction, intent to leave, and anticipated turnover. Implications for practice: This study will help bridge the gap in literature relating to NP job satisfaction, their intent to leave, and anticipated turnover. The results of this study could potentially assist employers in developing strategies for recruitment and long-term retention. These results may also give insight into how NPs can make their work environments more fulfilling. Additionally, these results may contribute to continued role adaption necessary for the constantly changing work environments in which NPs currently practice.

Job Satisfaction and Acculturation Among Filipino Registered Nurses

PURPOSE To determine the (a) levels of acculturation and job satisfaction, (b) relationship between acculturation and job satisfaction, and (c) effects of select sociodemographic variables in predicting job satisfaction among Filipino RNs educated in the Philippines who are working in the US. DESIGN Descriptive correlational. A convenience sample of Filipino RNs (N=96) present during the PNAA Eastern Regional Conference in Baltimore, MD was conducted. METHODS A survey was conducted using A Short Acculturation Scale for Filipino Americans (ASASFA) to measure acculturation, Part B of the Index of Work Satisfaction Scale (IWS) to assess job satisfaction, and a participant demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using A Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. FINDINGS Participants had a moderate level of job satisfaction that was positively correlated to a level of acculturation that was closer to American than to Filipino culture. Furthermore, age, length of U.S. residency, and acculturation significantly predicted perception of job satisfaction among this group of Filipino RNs. CONCLUSIONS Job satisfaction among Filipino nurses is related to acculturation and select sociodemographic variables. Further research to determine how best to improve acculturation may lead to improved retention rates of Filipino nurses in countries to which they have migrated.

Shared Governance and Empowerment in Registered Nurses Working in a Hospital Setting

Empowerment of registered nurses through professional practice models inclusive of shared governance has been proposed as essential to improve quality patient care, contain costs, and retain nursing staff. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between perceptions of governance and empowerment among nurses working in acute care hospital units in which a shared governance model had been in place for 6 to 12 months. The 158 nurses who participated perceived themselves to be moderately empowered and in an early implementation stage of shared governance. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between perceptions of shared governance and empowerment. Recommendations for professional practice and future research are included.

Attitudes towards collaboration and servant leadership among nurses, physicians and residents

A descriptive, comparative study was conducted to examine the attitudes of nurses, physicians and residents towards collaboration and to assess their self-perception of servant leadership characteristics. The Jefferson Scale of Attitudes toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration and the Barbuto-Wheeler Servant Leadership Questionnaire were utilized for data collection. Registered nurses (RNs) (n = 2,660), physicians (n = 447) and residents (n = 171) in a Southeastern United States health system were surveyed via the intranet; there were 497 responses for analysis. The response rate should be considered and generalizations made with caution regarding the study results. RN scores were higher for both total scores and subscales as compared to physician/resident groups for collaboration and servant leadership. There was a weak positive correlation between collaboration and servant leadership in the RN group and no significant correlation between the variables in the physician/resident group. Findings from this study have implications for nursing and physician education and practice and may serve as a framework for future studies. Representative samples are needed to gain further insight and to guide future research.

An exploratory study of resilience and job satisfaction among psychiatric nurses working in inpatient units.

The present exploratory study was designed to examine the relationship between resilience and job satisfaction in psychiatric nurses working in inpatient units in a large, urban medical centre. The long range goal was to understand the dimensions of job satisfaction in this inpatient environment in order to implement nurse retention programmes specifically targeted toward teaching nurses skills in developing resilience. The nurses (n = 32) reported a high level of resilience and high job satisfaction. The job satisfaction subscale of professional status had the highest mean rating among these nurses, and the physician-nurse interaction subscale had the lowest mean score. Implications for future practice and research are addressed.

Structural empowerment and anticipated turnover among critical care nurses

AIM This study examines the relationship between perceptions of structural empowerment and anticipated turnover among critical care nurses. BACKGROUND The literature revealed that work environments that provide access to information, resources, support and opportunity create an environment of more satisfied employees, ultimately reducing turnover. METHOD A sample of 257 nurses completed a background data questionnaire, the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II (CWEQ-II) and the Anticipated Turnover Scale (ATS). RESULTS Nurses in five critical care units perceive themselves to be moderately empowered. Structural empowerment was inversely related to anticipated turnover; those who were more empowered had a lower anticipated turnover score. CONCLUSION Nurses who perceive themselves as empowered have higher levels of organizational commitment. Organizations that support and recognize these characteristics may experience improved retention rates. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT This study is the first to demonstrate a relationship between structural empowerment and anticipated turnover among critical care nurses. Research has demonstrated that workplace behaviours and attitudes are determined by social structures within the workplace. Nurses are responsible for a large portion of health care provided in this country. A serious nursing shortage is expected in the future and will exert pressure on both the supply and the demand of nurses.

Nurse-physician collaboration in an acute care community hospital

Despite the evidence from the literature of the benefits of collaboration, a collaborative practice model in the acute-care setting remains the exception rather than the dominant practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate attitudes toward collaboration among nurses and physicians practicing in an acute care community hospital. The sample included 118 nurses and 53 physicians. Background variables of gender, age, education, experience, practice setting, cultural background, and time to interact were examined to determine if they influenced attitudes towards collaboration. The results indicated that both physicians and nurses expressed positive attitudes towards collaboration but that there was a significant difference on two of the underlying factors: shared education and physician authority. The study may serve as a baseline for future research, specifically focused on interventions to enhance collaboration.

Frequency of nurse–physician collaborative behaviors in an acute care hospital

A new culture bolstering collaborative behavior among nurses and physicians is needed to merge the unique strengths of both professions into opportunities to improve patient outcomes. To meet this challenge it is fundamental to comprehend the current uses of collaborative behaviors among nurses and physicians. The purpose of this descriptive study was to delineate frequently used from infrequently used collaborative behaviors of nurses and physicians in order to generate data to support specific interventions for improving collaborative behavior. The setting was an acute care hospital, and participants included 114 registered nurses and 33 physicians with active privileges. The Nurse–Physician Collaboration Scale was used to measure the frequency of use of nurse–physician collaborative behaviors self-reported by nurses and physicians. The background variables of gender, age, education, ethnicity, years of experience, years practiced at the current acute care hospital, practice setting and professional certification were accessed. In addition to analyzing the frequency of collaborative behaviors, this study compares levels of collaborative behavior reported by nurses and physicians.