Browsing by Author "Heistad, Amanda Lynn"

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    How Does the Workplace Environment Affect the Health and Decision of Registered Nurses to Remain in Critical Care?
    (2019-04-30) Heistad, Amanda Lynn; Goldsworthy, Sandra; Reilly, Sandra M.; Hirst, Sandra P.
    Background. Retaining registered nurses (RNs) in critical care environments (CCEs) face many challenges. Firstly, these settings have exceptional demands of staff because of higher environmental stress, higher patient acuity, and higher patient mortality rates relative to other nursing units. Secondly, the combination of stressors in CCEs can have significant effects on providers’ health, which can lead to high voluntary turnover rates. This can aggravate an already difficult situation, which requires, at substantial human and financial cost, the preparation of new, and often less experienced RNs to care for some of the most vulnerable patients. Aim. The study aims to understand the relationship of critical care RNs’ perceived CCEs, workloads, their health, and their intention to stay in their current employment setting. The dearth of research available concerning these relationships leaves the search for solutions without sufficient empirical data to inform strategies that would retain these highly-trained providers. Research Methods. A cross-sectional study assessed the interaction of RNs’ work environment, their health, and their intent to stay in the CCE. Data was obtained from a sample of 302 critical care RNs across Alberta, Canada, which allowed for negative binomial and logistic regression modelling analyses. RNs were also asked what interventions would optimize their work environment and retain their critical care services. Results. Critical care RNs who scored their CCEs higher had lower sick time incidence and decreased intention to leave. Other important factors for RNs’ decision to stay in the CCE included their workload, increased educational opportunities, and increased availability of part-time scheduling. Conclusions. This study results showed strong positive relationships between CCEs, RNs’ health, and RNs’ turnover intention. RNs specifically request workload optimization, increased flexibility with shift rotations, and increased education opportunities on their units to optimize the environment and retain their services. Given the high demands associated with such services, decision-makers should consider these findings when anticipating the needs of RNs and patients. This would, at the very least, assure RNs that hospitals care as much for their health as the patients that RNs serve.