Administrative stressors and nursing job outcomes in Australian public and non-profit health care organisations.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The main aim of this study is to develop a path model to examine the effect of administrative stressors on nursing work outcomes in a sample of Australian public and non-profit nurses.

BACKGROUND

The implementation of managerial reform initiatives has negative consequences on work outcomes. However, less is known about the effects of these stressors in public and non-profit health care organisations.

DESIGN

An online, self-completion questionnaire was sent to a random sample of nurses, employed in nursing-related occupations.

PARTICIPANTS

Useable surveys were received from 251 nurses.

METHODS

The path model was analysed using SmartPLS software (SmartPLS, Hamburg, Germany).

RESULTS

Public and non-profit nurses experienced time and resource administrative-related stressors (such as resource shortage and pay not as good as other people doing similar work). They relied on work-related social support to reduce the negative consequences. Resource stressors led to job dissatisfaction while time stressors led to psychological strain. Nursing staff who reported better psychological health reported higher job satisfaction and higher level of commitment towards their organisations.

CONCLUSIONS

Context-specific administrative stressors have a negative impact on the work outcomes of public and non-profit nurses. Work-related social support mechanisms were found to mediate the negative consequences of administrative resourcing stressors on nursing job satisfaction.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Nursing managers have to be sympathetic and care for the negative experiences of nursing staff, especially when there is an increasing level of administrative expectations during organisational change. Senior management should take note of the stressors caused by the lack of resources such as information, staffing and resources, as these were found to lead to an increase in nurses seeking work-related social support from their peers and supervisors. Effective implementation of these strategies would lead to a nursing workforce, which has higher level of psychological health, job satisfaction and organisational commitment.