The ward atmosphere important for the psychosocial work environment of nursing staff in psychiatric in-patient care
2011

The Importance of Ward Atmosphere for Nursing Staff in Psychiatric Care

Sample size: 93 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Tuvesson Hanna, Wann-Hansson Christine, Eklund Mona

Primary Institution: Malmö University

Hypothesis

How are different aspects of the ward atmosphere related to the psychosocial work environment as perceived by nursing staff in psychiatric in-patient care?

Conclusion

Improvements in the ward atmosphere could enhance the working conditions for nursing staff, affecting both nurses and nurse assistants similarly.

Supporting Evidence

  • Empowering Leadership was significantly correlated with several ward atmosphere subscales.
  • Role Clarity was associated with Program Clarity.
  • Order and Organization was linked to perceptions of Organizational Climate.

Takeaway

The way nurses feel about their work environment is connected to how they perceive the atmosphere in their ward, and making the ward a better place could help them feel better at work.

Methodology

A descriptive cross-sectional survey using two questionnaires completed by nursing staff at 12 psychiatric wards.

Potential Biases

Potential selection bias due to the lower response rate.

Limitations

The response rate was lower than desired (52.3%), which may introduce selection bias.

Participant Demographics

Participants included 72 females and 20 males, aged 21 to 65, with an average of 18 years of experience in psychiatric care.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Confidence Interval

1.132 - 6.419

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1472-6955-10-12

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