Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/239785 
Year of Publication: 
2017
Citation: 
[Journal:] Administrative Sciences [ISSN:] 2076-3387 [Volume:] 7 [Issue:] 1 [Publisher:] MDPI [Place:] Basel [Year:] 2017 [Pages:] 1-17
Publisher: 
MDPI, Basel
Abstract: 
This study investigated the relationships between seven workload factors and patient and nurse outcomes. (1) Background: Health systems researchers are beginning to address nurses' workload demands at different unit, job and task levels; and the types of administrative interventions needed for specific workload demands. (2) Methods: This was a cross-sectional correlational study of 472 acute care nurses from British Columbia, Canada. The workload factors included nurse reports of unit-level RN staffing levels and patient acuity and patient dependency; job-level nurse perceptions of heavy workloads, nursing tasks left undone and compromised standards; and task-level interruptions to work flow. Patient outcomes were nurse-reported frequencies of medication errors, patient falls and urinary tract infections; and nurse outcomes were emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction. (3) Results: Job-level perceptions of heavy workloads and task-level interruptions had significant direct effects on patient and nurse outcomes. Tasks left undone mediated the relationships between heavy workloads and nurse and patient outcomes; and between interruptions and nurse and patient outcomes. Compromised professional nursing standards mediated the relationships between heavy workloads and nurse outcomes; and between interruptions and nurse outcomes. (4) Conclusion: Administrators should work collaboratively with nurses to identify work environment strategies that ameliorate workload demands at different levels.
Subjects: 
compromised professional nursing standards
interruptions
nurse outcomes
nurse staffing
nursing tasks left undone
nursing workload
patient adverse events
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
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Document Type: 
Article
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